Important Notes:
● Tenderness/Soreness are normal following any dental treatment. Ibuprofen is usually
best for this.
● Mild Sensitivity to cold/chewing are normal for a few months following root canal
treatment. This is usually temporary and just needs time to calm down.
● If an antibiotic was prescribed, take it as instructed until gone. If you experience any
side effects from antibiotic stop taking it and call/text us.
● Your bite will feel different on a temporary crown/veneer, this is intentional to help
protect the temporary.
● Temporary crowns/veneers do sometimes come loose/break. If this happens, do not
worry – it is not an urgent situation. We will provide you with temporary cement and
instructions to put it back on.
● Avoid hard/sticky foods (gums, carmels, candies) while in temporary crowns/veneers.
These are likely to pull the temporary off.
● Sore/tender gums are best treated with warm salt water rinses 3-4 times/day.
The First Few Hours After Root Canal Treatment:
Your mouth may feel numb for 2-3 hours or so if local anesthetic was used during your appointment. Make
sure not to accidentally bite or suck on your lips or cheeks, as it could cause significant soft tissue trauma. It’s also probably best not to eat anything until the anesthetic wears off. If you do feel the need to eat anything, stick to softer foods that require little to no chewing. Such as yogurt, mashed potatoes, or pudding.
Any minor soreness from the injection site can be managed with a warm saltwater rinse and over-the-counter pain reliever. The irritation will be temporary so it’s nothing too much to worry about.
If Your Teeth are Sensitive
It’s normal to feel some mild sensitivity to chewing for a few months after root canal treatment. Most people
notice that the symptoms tend to go away within days, weeks, or a couple of months. In the meantime, do your best to avoid tough, chewy foods that bother your tooth.
How can I manage my pain?
Before your anesthetic wears off completely, we recommend taking either 1-2 tablets of ibuprofen or Tylenol
every 4-6 hours as needed. This will help manage your pain when the anesthetic wears off. Once the anesthetic wears off, you can continue this routine to manage your pain.
In addition to general tooth pain, you may also experience some tooth sensitivity to temperature, sweets, or
biting. This is completely normal and will usually dissipate within a few days following your procedure. If it
continues beyond a few days, you will want to call our office for further instruction.
Finally, your gums may also be sore or irritated following your tooth preparation procedure. To help alleviate
this discomfort, we recommend a warm saltwater rinse. A warm saltwater rinse is composed of one teaspoon
of salt in a cup of warm water. You will want to swish this mixture around inside your mouth, over your gums,
then spit.
Temporary Crowns/Bridges/Veneers
During your tooth preparation appointment, you will have a temporary crown placed. You can expect to leave
our dental office with this temporary crown cemented into your mouth. This temporary crown protects the
teeth from damage and ensures that there is enough space for the permanent crown by preventing the
adjacent teeth from shifting. It is imperative that the temporary crown remains in place until the permanent
crown can be placed. If your temporary crown becomes lost or damaged in any way, call our office immediately.
You have been provided with a Temporary Take Home Kit – the kid includes 1 packet of Base paste, 1 packet
of catalyst paste, a cotton applicator and 2×2 gauze. You should dry your temporary tooth completely, mix a
little bit of the catalyst paste and base paste (1:1 ratio) mix well with the wooden end of the cotton applicator.
Dry your tooth, fill temporary tooth and insert onto tooth. Place ample amount of pressure for about one
minute so that the cement can dry and clean up any excess cement.
How do I take care of my permanent crown/veneer?
To care for your permanent crown, you will need to brush your teeth twice daily for two minutes at a time,
floss once daily, and have regular dental checkups and professional teeth cleanings every six months. These
checkups are essential to identify possible problems with your restoration early on before they have a chance to escalate, requiring a restoration replacement. Additionally, you will need to take special care to floss around the bottom edge of the crown because this is a common area for tooth decay.
How to Contact Us
During Office Hours (Most Mondays-Fridays) – Call: (780) 987 1046
Email: [email protected]
