With the latest dental technology and techniques, getting a root canal in Superior is faster and more painless than ever. This allows patients to enjoy a breezy and quick healing period, as long as they’re taking proper care of their treated tooth afterward. With the right preventive measures in place, you can enjoy your natural tooth for years to come. Read on for some root canal aftercare tips to help you make a speedy recovery and to learn what you can expect after the procedure.
What Happens During a Root Canal?
Many patients are worried about getting a root canal in Superior because the procedure has a notorious reputation for being painful. Fortunately, with the latest advancements in dentistry, this is no longer the case. Your dentist will ensure that you don’t feel an ounce of pain by using local anesthesia or sedation dentistry. After making a small access point in your tooth, they’ll remove the infected pulp of your tooth that’s causing you pain and sterilize the area before filling it. Finally, they’ll top your tooth off with a crown to protect and strengthen it.
Will You Be in Pain After Your Procedure?
After the sedation or anesthesia begins to wear off, you may experience some mild discomfort, sensitivity, or tenderness. This is typically a result of the cleaning process, when your dentist removes the pulp and sanitizes your tooth to remove any lingering harmful oral bacteria inside of it. Fortunately, this discomfort should only last for a few days following your procedures.
The discomfort following a root canal is typically mild and can be counteracted with over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen, or acetaminophen. Be sure to check with your dentist to make sure they’re safe to take with any additional prescriptions you were instructed to take. Your discomfort should decrease over the course of the next three to five days. If it persists, be sure to contact your dentist.
How Do You Take Care of Your Treated Tooth?
After your root canal, it’s important to know how you can take good care of your mouth to make sure you recover quickly and manage any discomfort you feel. Here are some tips to help with that:
- Avoid placing any type of pressure on the treated area of your mouth, because it may cause sensitivity or swelling. When you eat, be sure to eat with the opposite side of your mouth of where your root canal was conducted to allow it time to recover.
- While it’s still important to brush your teeth after a root canal, be sure to brush around your treated tooth more gently. Keeping the area clean can prevent an infection but brushing with too much force could cause increased pain.
- One of the most important aftercare root canal tips is to make sure that you allow yourself enough time to properly rest. If you can manage to get a couple of days off of work, this will help you make a fast recovery and feel better sooner.
If you have any questions about how to take care of your smile after having root canal therapy, don’t hesitate to contact your dentist. They’ll be able to let you know if what you’re feeling is natural and any additional tips and tricks to help ease your discomfort.
About the Author
Dr. Doug Clark, Jr. has over three decades of experience treating his patients’ smiles and helping restore their oral health. He is dedicated to providing everyone that walks through his doors with high-quality, thorough, and pain-free dental care. He is also a member of several professional organizations, including the American Dental Association and Academy of General Dentistry, to name just two. For questions or to schedule a root canal to preserve your smile, visit Hill Avenue Dental’s website or call 715-392-5161.