Instructions Following Root Canal Therapy

We have a personal, professional, and ethical responsibility to care for your health to the best of my ability.  If you can not or do not adhere to my treatment recommendations, we will not be able to continue treating you in good conscience.  Our policy is to make your experience in our office an exceptional one. 

Please take time to read the following information:

Do not eat or drink for approximately 30 minutes to allow the temporary filling to harden.

Do not chew any hard food using the treated tooth until the temporary filling has been replaced with a permanent restoration by your general dentist, to prevent possible fracturing of the tooth.

It is normal for the tooth to be sore for about 1 week, due to inflammation resulting from the root canal procedure.  Avoid chewing on the tooth for a week or so.  Even when you chew on the opposite side, food will go to the side of the treated tooth, which will feel tender.  As the tooth heals, its sensitivity should decrease each day.  Aspirin or non-prescription anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., Advil, Aleve) are preferred to reduce inflammation, but if you are sensitive to this class of medication, use Tylenol.  You should not drive or operate machinery if a mind-altering drug has been prescribed, e.g., Vicodin or Percocet.

Some slight swelling may occur after a root canal treatment, varying with the severity of infection and the extent of the inflammatory response.  Do not use an ice pack under any circumstances.

When the root canal work has been completed, you must make an appointment with your general dentist for a permanent filling or a crown.  We recommend having the tooth restored within 2-3 weeks after treatment, once the tooth has healed and is feeling better.  If the tooth is not properly restored, the chances of a tooth fracture or root canal recontamination increase.  Either development may lead to loss of the tooth or the need to retreat the root canal.

We understand that emergencies occur and it is our goal to eliminate all potential dental emergencies by providing care for you before a problem develops.  In the rare instance of a real emergency, we want to assure you that we will take care of you.  A true emergency is swelling, bleeding, or severe pain that has kept you up at night or requires medication.  If you have any of these symptoms, call us right away.  We will provide you with the next emergency appointment available.    

Our policy is to ensure that all our patients are completely satisfied. If you have any concerns please don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Barsemian at Hbarsemian@gmail.com or Joana Correia at Apexendonj@gmail.com.

If we succeed, we would appreciate your telling your family and friends about our office.