After Completion of Endodontic Treatment

Endodontic treatment has now been completed. The root canal system has been permanently sealed. However, the outer surface is sealed with a temporary restoration. A follow-up restoration must be placed to protect your tooth against fracture and decay. Please telephone your restorative dentist for an appointment. A complete report of treatment will be sent to your restorative dentist. Included in your treatment is a follow-up examination to evaluate the progress of healing. This appointment will require only a few minutes and no additional fee will be charged for the first check-up visit. Please call for an appointment during the following month.

Your tooth is more prone to fracture immediately after endodontic treatment. You should chew on the other side until your restorative dentist has placed a core build-up and a protective restoration, usually a crown. If your tooth’s strength is seriously compromised, your endodontist or restorative dentist may place a post and core build-up inside the tooth. Your restorative dentist and endodontist will determine the appropriate restoration to best protect your tooth.

Are there any potential problems after treatment?

• Lower teeth and nerve injury. There is a slight possibility that nerve injury can occur during root canal surgery to the lower posterior teeth. Your endodontist is trained to assess this possibility prior to treatment and will advise you accordingly. For lower posterior teeth, the root tips may be near a nerve that supplies feeling to the lip, chin and gums. Your endodontist is trained to design your surgery to minimize the chances of damaging this nerve. Rarely, this nerve can become irritated during the process of surgery. In these cases, when the local anesthesia wears off, you may experience tingling, altered sensation or, in rare cases a complete lack of feeling in the affected tissues. Should this occur, it is usually temporary and will resolve over a period of days, weeks or months. In rare cases, these changes can be permanent and/or painful.
• Upper teeth and sinus communication. The upper teeth are situated near your sinuses, and root canal surgery can result in a communication between your mouth and the adjacent sinus. Should this complication occur, it will usually heal spontaneously. We will give you special instructions if this is apparent at the time of surgery. We prefer that you don’t blow your nose for two to three days after surgery. If you have to sneeze, you should sneeze with an open mouth into a tissue. You should not create any pressure in the sinus area. If you sense a complication after surgery, please contact us.
• Post-operative infections. Post-operative infections occasionally occur. This usually requires just an office visit and examination. Many times placing you on an antibiotic for one week will take care of the infection Occasionally, other follow-up procedures will be needed.

So my root canal is complete…Now What?

Important follow-up measures Upon completion of root canal treatment, patients are advised to contact their general dentist’s office to schedule restoration. As per the recommendation of the American Association of Endodontists, root canal treatment is only one step in returning the tooth to full function. A final restoration of the tooth is extremely important in ensuring long-term success.

We advise patients about the importance of restoration both in writing and verbally.

1. First, we ask our patients to review and sign a form which states:

“… your dentist needs to place a permanent restoration to protect your tooth against fracture and decay. Please phone your dentist promptly for an appointment. It is recommended this be done within 4-6 weeks. Delay beyond 4-6 weeks may place your tooth in jeopardy.” If you do not have a dentist please we are happy to provide you a list of dentists in the area registered with the Peterborough district dental society and certified by the Royal College of dental surgeons Ontario.

2. Next, we also make it point to give verbal instructions on this important step so that patients will make the appointment right away. Kawartha Endodontics works in cooperation with the referring dentist’s office — as an extension of their practice, if you will. We all share the mutual goal of achieving the best possible outcome for each patient. A mutidisiplanary approach maximizes the patients chances of long term success.

We understand that final tooth restoration is of utmost importance upon the completion of root canal treatment, and we strive to communicate this clearly to all patients for optimum dental health results.