Post-Op Instructions
After Your Root Canal
Your root canal is complete and the infected tissue has been removed. The tooth is sealed with a temporary filling to protect it until your crown is ready.
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1 Your Temporary Filling
Your tooth is sealed with a temporary filling that is meant to last a few weeks, not forever.
Avoid chewing hard, sticky, or crunchy foods on the treated side until your final crown is placed.
When flossing, slide the floss out the side rather than pulling up, to avoid dislodging the temporary.
If the temporary filling falls out, call us right away. Leaving the tooth open lets bacteria back in and can cause reinfection.
2 Tenderness — What to Expect
It is normal for the tooth and surrounding gum tissue to feel tender for a few days, especially when you bite down. Tenderness usually improves each day.
If it gets worse over time instead of better, please call us.
Mild jaw soreness from holding your mouth open during the procedure is normal and typically resolves within 1–2 days. Warm compresses help.
3 Bite and Comfort
If the tooth feels "high" or like you are hitting it first when you bite down, please call us. A quick adjustment makes a big difference in comfort and healing.
Try to chew on the opposite side until your final crown is placed.
4 Keeping the Area Clean
Brush and floss normally, but gently around the treated tooth.
Rinse with warm salt water (½ teaspoon of salt in 8 oz of warm water) 2–3 times a day if the gum tissue feels tender.
5 Managing Discomfort
Over-the-counter ibuprofen (400–600 mg with food, every 6–8 hours as needed) is the most effective option for post-treatment soreness.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol 500 mg) can be taken at the same time as ibuprofen every 8 hours for additional relief if needed.
Avoid aspirin — it can thin the blood and prolong minor bleeding around the treated area.
If antibiotics were prescribed, finish the full course even if you start feeling better.
6 Your Crown Appointment
Your final crown is what will protect this tooth long-term. Please schedule your crown appointment within 2–4 weeks if you have not already.
Delaying the crown puts the tooth at risk of cracking, leaking, or reinfection. A root-canal-treated tooth without a crown is more brittle than a natural tooth.
Once your crown is placed, the tooth can be cared for just like any other tooth.
When to Call Us
Contact Us If You Experience Any of the Following
- Severe, spontaneous, or throbbing pain — especially pain that wakes you at night
- Pain that gets worse instead of better after 2–3 days
- Swelling around the tooth or in your face
- A fever
- The temporary filling falls out
- Any reaction to medication, including rash, hives, or difficulty breathing
Ready for Your Crown?
Book Your Next Appointment
Schedule your crown appointment within 2–4 weeks to protect your root canal-treated tooth. Call or book online at MDRN Dental Studio in McKinney, TX.
6451 W University Dr, Ste 300 · McKinney, TX 75071