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Safeguarding Your Tooth and Roots after Root Canal Treatment ,
Young woman with dental pain pressing a bag of ice to her jaw.

Safeguarding your teeth and gums as they heal after recently undergoing root canal treatment will be high on your mind because you wouldn’t want to endure another painful procedure. The tips to protect your teeth discussed in this blog can help you recover as early as possible to enjoy years of good oral health.

Root Canal Therapy

Understanding why you needed root canal therapy will help you to safeguard your teeth after the treatment. The root of the tooth connects it to your gums and jaw. The procedure may have been necessitated because of tooth decay that infected the pulp within your tooth. You may even have developed an abscess, which is a pocket of infection around the roots. An injury that damaged your tooth may also have made root canal therapy necessary.

During the procedure, Dr. Anitha Reddy from Creative Dentistry & Medspa would have cleaned the infection and placed a special filling sealing the canal off. The treatment would have rendered the tooth fragile without the pulp making it necessary for you to follow-up with the endodontics specialist to restore the tooth with a dental crown.

What Can Be Expected after Root Canal Therapy

This treatment ensures less pain after the process, but you are likely to experience some tenderness. You will also have to endure some soreness in your jaw from having your mouth open for an extended period. Over-the-counter medications can successfully treat the pain in the aftermath of root canal therapy. The specialist may prescribe more potent medicines in some cases.

You will be advised not to chew with the tooth that underwent the treatment while you are waiting for a permanent filling or a dental crown. Your dentist instructs you whether or not the situation applies to you.

Maintaining Proper Oral Hygiene after Root Canal

It will help if you continue practicing proper oral hygiene by brushing twice every day, flossing daily, and using an antiseptic mouthwash to safeguard the health of your teeth. After undergoing the procedure, you must follow with the endodontist to ensure everything has healed appropriately. Regular appointments for cleanings and checkups must also be scheduled. Proper oral hygiene routine will assist you in maintaining healthy teeth and roots for years.

Root Canal Complications You Should Watch for

The success rate of root canals is 95 percent, but some complications can occur at times.

If the tooth had more roots than expected by the endodontist, the chances of one remaining untreated would exist. The untreated root would have some infection that would cause you to experience pain again. If the symptoms that existed persist like earlier, you must discuss it with the specialist. In some cases, the sealant placed within the root canal can breakdown with time, allowing microorganisms to invade the inside of the tooth. Regular appointments with your dentist are the best way to avoid such complications.

Rarely even endodontists can miss a crack in the root. If you experience pain and the usual symptoms, the dentist must be informed about your situation.

Root canal therapy is routine, with millions of teeth being treated with this procedure. Most patients can return to their normal activities following the process on the next day. Before undergoing root canal therapy, you must discuss any concerns about caring for the tooth and its roots following your procedure with the endodontics specialist. She will provide you with comprehensive aftercare instructions and happily answer any questions you may have.

The procedure performed by the endodontist would have removed the infected or inflamed pulp from within your tooth. However, the chances of complications affecting you remain for the reasons mentioned above. The problems will continue even after you have a dental crown placed on the tooth for restoration. The best way to safeguard the tooth is to be in regular touch with the specialist to discuss any problems you are experiencing.

On your part, you must continue to maintain proper oral hygiene practices to ensure infections do not develop in your mouth. Discussing with the dentist about preventive dental care will make it easier for you to adopt a routine that will help to care for your teeth after a root canal.

Posted on behalf of Creative Dentistry & MedSpa

Atlanta Office

5505 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd #460
Atlanta, GA, 30342

Hours

Monday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Tuesday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Wednesday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Thursday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Friday 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Saturday / Sunday - Closed

Alpharetta office

5755 North Point Pkwy Ste 102
Alpharetta, GA, 30022

Hours

Monday - Closed

Tuesday 9:00 AM - 5.00 PM

Wednesday 10:00 - 6:00 PM

Thursday 9:00 - 5:00 PM

Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Saturday / Sunday - Closed

Covington Office

4139 Baker St NE #15
Covington, GA, 30014

Hours

Monday - Thursday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Friday - By Appointment Only

Saturday / Sunday - Closed