What should I do after nerve filling, and is it necessary to take antibiotics after root canal treatment?

What should I do after a root canal treatment? The next stage after a root canal treatment is the most important to ensure the success of the filling. The patient is advised to follow several instructions that help them recover faster. In this article, we will learn about these instructions and how to alleviate the potential sensitivity symptoms.

What should I do after a root canal treatment

What should I do after a root canal treatment?

In a root canal procedure, decay is removed from the tooth cavity and the nerve endings in the roots, and substitute fillings are placed to seal the cavity. Therefore, the patient should follow the instructions given by the doctor and take the prescribed medications on time, especially painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, and be careful in choosing the type of food and only eat what is allowed during this period. Avoid drinks that cause tooth and mouth sensitivity or increase the severity of pain. It is expected that after the anesthetic wears off at the end of the procedure, some pain will be felt, which will go away within a week. You can find out about the best types of root canal fillings and prices through this article.

When can I eat after a root canal?

The patient is under the effect of anesthesia during the root canal procedure, so its effect continues for up to two hours after the filling is completed. However, the patient continues to feel numbness and tingling in the jaw and difficulty moving the mouth, speaking, or swallowing. Therefore, it is preferable to drink water and eat soft foods only during the 24 hours following the filling. From the next day, the patient can start eating, but solid and sticky foods should be avoided, as well as cold or hot drinks, and acidic fruits should be avoided so as not to affect the filling and cause complications later. After a week or two, the pain will completely subside, and the patient can eat everything.

How long does tooth pain last after a root canal?

The duration ranges from one week to two weeks for the pain to completely subside, and during this period, the pain will be intermittent and gradually decrease, so there is no need to worry, as pain is a natural occurrence. The tooth cavity is drilled, and the nerve canal is cleaned of any bacteria in severe cases, which is why the patient is given anesthesia before the filling. However, there are some simple or moderate cases that do not require anesthesia, and the pain is not severe. In all cases, the doctor prescribes some painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, and antibiotics to relieve pain and speed up healing.

Reasons for continued pain after a root canal

There are some reasons that lead to continued pain after a root canal, which will be mentioned in the following points:

1. Tooth weakness: As a result of not being able to withstand the pressure during the filling procedure, it becomes sensitive to any action or role it performs, and it is possible for it to break later.
2. Cracks in the tooth: These cracks may appear in the cavity during or after the procedure when eating and chewing, or as a result of protruding fillings higher than the tooth surface, causing pain when biting food or colliding with teeth when talking.
3. Some inflammation in the nerve: The nerve may be sensitive to some chemical compounds present in different fillings in cases of deep decay that require removing a large part of the tooth cavity until the filling material can be secured.
4. Mouth infection: In case of neglecting dental care and not cleaning the teeth daily, it is possible for the bacteria causing decay to grow and show symptoms of inflammation and swelling in the gums or decay in the adjacent teeth.
5. Infection in the tooth pulp: This occurs in cases where the tooth is filled more than once.

How can pain be relieved after a root canal?

It is easy to control the pain felt by the patient after a root canal procedure by following these tips:

1. Regularly taking painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, and antibiotics that help relieve pain significantly and speed up the healing process and wound healing in the tooth.
2.  Adhering to brushing teeth before bedtime daily.
3. Using dental floss, which helps soothe irritated teeth and gums.
4.  Not eating solid foods.
5. Avoiding sugary drinks.
6. Avoiding foods and drinks rich in caffeine.
7. Not exposing the tooth to heat or cold, as it will be sensitive to heat during this period.

Should I take antibiotics after a root canal?

Should I take antibiotics after a root canal?

No, recent studies have shown that it is wrong to prescribe antibiotics after removing the tooth nerve, and they have pointed out the necessity of prescribing them only in cases of inflammation symptoms, swelling, or fever after the filling procedure, as the appearance of these symptoms is an indicator of infection. However, the tooth that is filled is cleaned and sterilized by the doctor with disinfectants during the filling procedure, so it does not need antibiotics. Be ready to smile with confidence with a root canal filling that restores your teeth’s health and normal function at The Dental Center.

The appearance of the tooth after a root canal

The appearance of the tooth after a root canal is natural, just like its appearance before the filling, especially if a crown is placed on top of the tooth, which increases protection of the filling and supports the tooth, giving it the necessary strength to withstand pressure. Also, in the case of not placing a tooth crown, its appearance and texture will be smooth because the doctor will level the surface of the filling with the tooth surface. There is no difference in the case of using porcelain or glass fillings or laser fillings, which are characterized by their cosmetic appearance and add shine and radiance to the teeth.

However, some discomfort may occur for patients in the case of silver or gold fillings due to the difference in color of the fillings from the natural color of the teeth. Therefore, after completing the filling procedure, the doctor takes care of the final cosmetic appearance of the patient’s teeth and does everything possible and uses all available treatment and cosmetic methods to satisfy the patient. So there is no need to worry, and enjoy the comfort and peace of mind with a root canal filling that restores the health of the tooth and protects it from future problems at ourThe Dental Center.

Advantages and disadvantages of root canal treatment

The advantages of root canal treatment are many, and we will list them in some of the following summarized points:

– Controlling the infection and preventing it from spreading in the mouth and preventing other teeth from being affected.
– Preserving the teeth as much as possible and avoiding the need for extraction.
– Less expensive than the cost of implant surgery after extraction.
– Preserving the natural texture and appearance of the tooth compared to implanted teeth if it is extracted.
– Relieving annoying tooth pain.
– Filling the cavity of the affected tooth, preventing numerous complications, including temporomandibular joint disorder resulting from inflammation of the ligaments and muscles of the jaw joint.

There are also disadvantages to the root canal procedure, and there are two types of disadvantages to this procedure, one that occurs during the procedure and the other that occurs after the procedure. We will mention them below:

Disadvantages during the procedure

• Tooth weakness and fracture as a result of drilling to remove the decay, which in some cases is exaggerated due to the depth of the decay, leaving only a small part of the tooth, and the tissues and bones are thin and brittle.
•  Cracks occurring inside the tooth cavity, which in some cases may cause the doctor to have to extract it and not complete the procedure when discovered, or extract it after signs of cracks appear on it after the procedure.
• Severe deviation in the tooth root, which causes the strip used to secure the filling material to break, and in this case, the doctor may be able to remove the strip from the cavity or extract the tooth.
• Formation of holes in the tooth cavity due to its calcification and the doctor’s inability to drill into the cavity, and accidentally puncturing its outer surface. In some cases, the doctor can treat the holes, and in other cases, they have to extract the tooth.

Disadvantages after the procedure

1.  Movement of the filling content from inside the tooth cavity
2. Neglecting dental care.
3.  The presence of lateral nerve canals in the tooth or molar that
4. were not clear to the doctor when examining the X-ray.
5. Inflammation of the nasal sinuses in the case of filling the upper teeth or molars close to their cavity and the penetration of the roots of these teeth or molars into the cavity, or in the case of leakage of the filling content later into the nasal sinus cavity.
6. Discoloration of the filled tooth, turning it brown or yellow, which affects the cosmetic appearance and requires the doctor to treat it with whitening or using veneers.
7.  In some cases, the inability to completely clean the tooth cavity or nerve canals of bacteria, which can lead to the appearance of numerous diseases, including cancer.

The number of sessions in which a root canal is performed

The root canal procedure is performed over two sessions, and in some cases, the doctor may need a third session to add a crown to help protect the filled tooth and give it enough time to heal without any pressure from eating or jaw movement. The patient is prepared, and X-rays are examined to help the doctor determine the necessary procedures before the procedure. Then, in the first session, the decay is removed, the nerve canal is cleaned, and a temporary filling is placed. In the second session, the permanent filling is added, and in the third session, any sensitivity sealant, lining, or crown is added as required by the patient’s condition. You can learn more by reading this article.

Steps followed in a root canal procedure

There are steps that are taken during the sessions for a root canal, and we will mention them in the following points:

• Examining the X-rays, which accurately show the patient’s condition, and preparing them for the procedure.
• Injecting the patient’s gum with an anesthetic or spraying a local anesthetic on the affected tooth.
•  A drilling device to drill the tooth cavity and remove all decay content, bacteria, and germs from inside.
•  Isolating the affected area.
• Disinfecting the cavity thoroughly with water or solution.
•  Removing the nerve and cleaning all nerve endings.
•  Placing a temporary filling to fill the cavities in the cavity.
• Replacing the temporary filling with the permanent filling after two days.
•  Leveling the surface of the filling with the tooth surface and polishing it.
• After ensuring the removal of any protruding fillings, a crown is placed on top of the tooth to give it strength and hardness against pressure.