What to Expect After a Root Canal Procedure
A root canal may seem like a scary procedure, but it is often the best way to save an infected tooth. After completing a root canal, you may be wondering what comes next. This blog post will provide an overview of what you can expect after a root canal and how to ensure your tooth stays healthy and strong in the future.
The root canal procedure is a very common dental treatment used to repair teeth damaged by decay or injury. The procedure involves removing the infected pulp, or center of the tooth, and filling the empty space with a special material to restore the tooth’s shape and strength.
After receiving a root canal, it is important to understand what you can expect in terms of healing, recovery time, and follow-up care.
After-Treatment Care
Following your root canal procedure it is important to follow your dentist’s instructions for After-treatment care.
Your dentist may suggest that you avoid chewing on the treated tooth for a few days as well as avoiding foods that are hard or sticky as they can cause additional damage to the treated area.
Additionally, your dentist may advise you to take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen if you experience any discomfort during recovery.
Additional Treatments
Depending on the severity of damage to your tooth before treatment, additional treatments may be required after having a root canal. After removing the infected pulp from inside the tooth, your dentist may need to place a crown or other restoration on top of your tooth in order to protect it from further damage or infection.
This additional step would require two visits: one for preparation and one for placement of the permanent restoration. In some cases, treatments such as antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medications may be prescribed depending on your individual needs.
Temporary Sensitivity
It is normal for you to feel some sensitivity in your treated tooth following a root canal procedure; this should subside over time as long as you brush twice daily and floss regularly using proper techniques.
If you continue to experience sensitivity after three weeks it is important that you contact your dentist so they can assess if any additional treatments are needed.
Exercise & Activity
Generally speaking, activities like exercise are safe for individuals who have had a root canal; however, it is important that you wait until all anesthesia has worn off before going back into strenuous activity if possible.
You should avoid lifting heavy objects with the affected arm/leg until all pain is gone; additionally, extreme sports like bungee jumping should be avoided for at least 48 hours after the procedure if possible due to the increased risk of trauma associated with such activities following dental procedures.
Eating & Drinking
It is generally safe to drink cold water shortly after having a root canal but food consumption should be delayed until all anesthesia has worn off completely in order to reduce the risk of injuring yourself while eating due to numbness associated with local anesthesia used during treatment.
When eating after having a root canal it’s best to stick with soft foods like mashed potatoes or yogurt and avoid chewing directly on the treated area until instructed otherwise by your dentist or oral surgeon.
Returning To Work
In most cases individuals return back to work the same day following their Root Canal; however, since each person’s situation is unique, it is best to check instructions given by dentists or oral surgeons before returning back to work in order to determine what amount of rest expected before returning back to regular activities.
