Common Questions

Some treatments require two or more appointments. Many can be done in a single appointment of 1 to 2 hours or less.

In any case, it depends on the degree of infection/inflammation and degree of treatment difficulty.  To me, it”s more important to do the very best we can than to meet a specific time criteria.

We will take every measure to ensure that your procedure is in no way uncomfortable or painful. If treatment is needed, we will inject a small amount of anesthesia to gently numb a concentrated area of your mouth. For most patients, the feeling of numbness usually subsides after 2-3 hours.

Yes, for most root canal treatments, we recommend that patients return to the office 1 year after the procedure was finished. Our office will send a reminder notice to you when you are due for a recall appointment.

Yes, after the root canal treatment has been completed, your family dentist will determine what type of restoration is best for your tooth. You should have your tooth restored within 1-3 weeks after your treatment is completed.

Your tooth may be sore to biting for several days. Please remember that the nerve supply to the gum and bone surrounding the tooth could be inflamed and can still cause some discomfort. Some patients find that they have no, or little  discomfort and need only to take anti-inflammatory medication for 24-48hrs after the treatment.

Recommended pain killers in absence of Liver and/or Kidney disorders are:

  • Advil: 2-4 tablets every 6 hrs (first choice)
  • Motrin: 2-4 tablets every 6 hrs
  • Tylenol: 3 tablets every 4-6hrs (safest if you are pregnant)

As with any medical treatment, there are no guarantees in treatment outcomes.  Following examination and diagnosis we will discuss treatment recommendations and options with you as well as the prognosis of treatment. Teeth which can be endodontically treated near ideal have a very high degree of success rate, up to 92%.