FAQ

Is the treatment painful? Many people associate root canal treatment with pain. We are here to help dispel that myth. Root canal treatment is not as fun as a walk in the park, but we try to make it bearable. Most people even say, “It wasn’t as bad as I thought” or “It was so relaxing; I almost fell asleep.” We often say that working on your tooth is like having your nails filed. You may still feel a sense of pressure. We provide local anesthetic (dental freezing) to fully numb the area before starting the procedure.

Will antibiotics treat my tooth instead? Antibiotics may be beneficial in reducing symptoms of a dental infection. Due to the limitations of oral antibiotic treatment, it will not penetrate into the pulp of the tooth at a significant concentration to resolve the source of the dental infection (infected pulp). This can only be done with removal of the tooth or removal of the pulp (root canal treatment). Antibiotics may help reduce symptoms associated with a dental infection for a limited time. The relief in symptoms may last days to weeks after finishing the full prescription. However, it is not a long-term solution. Oral antibiotics may be prescribed by our office to take prior to or after your treatment, depending on Dr. Dionne’s recommendation.

Do you extract teeth? Or place dental Implants or bridges? We do not extract teeth. If extraction is advised during your consultation, a report will be sent to your general dentist with the treatment recommendation. We do not place dental implants or bridges and strongly encourage you to discuss these options with your general dentist if extraction of the tooth is planned.

How do I make an appointment at your office? We are a referral-based office, meaning we accept referral information from your general dentist to contact you. This includes the assigned tooth in question, your contact information, and any related images your dentist deems necessary. If you would like a referral sent to our office, please talk with your general dentist to determine if a referral is right for you.

How long is the appointment? How many appointments do I need? First, we will schedule a consultation appointment, which will take approximately 1 hour. If treatment is planned, we will then schedule another visit to complete it. Root canal treatment can take approximately 1.5 hours. You may need to return for an additional appointment, depending on the complexity of your treatment. 

What is done at a consultation appointment? This will be your first visit to our office. If you are a returning patient, we still need to schedule a consultation for each tooth in question. After you check in with our receptionist and complete all necessary paperwork, a dental assistant will take any required imaging, including an x-ray and a small field CBCT scan of the assigned tooth. Dr. Dionne will then perform clinical testing of the area (e.g., tapping on the teeth with an instrument, applying pressure to the gum area, checking how the teeth occlude together, and applying cold spray). We will then discuss the diagnosis of the assigned tooth and recommended treatment options with you. (We also take the time to answer any questions and address any concerns you may have.) If treatment is to be completed at our office, we will schedule your next visit accordingly.

Do you offer sedation? We offer oral sedation (benzodiazepine) in the form of an oral medication that helps reduce anxiety. If you feel this option may be right for you, please ask during your consultation visit. We do not offer nitrous, IV sedation, or general anesthesia. Please advise your general dentist if you feel deeper sedation (not oral sedation) is more suited to you so they can refer you to an office that will safely accommodate your needs. 

If my tooth had a root canal already, why do I need another one?  You may be referred to our office to evaluate a tooth that has already had a root canal. One of the reasons a root canal can fail is if the pulp has not been thoroughly cleaned out of the tooth and sealed properly. As a result, you may or may not notice any symptoms on the tooth for an extended period of time. However, signs of infection may be present on the imaging taken which will require further evaluation to determine a treatment plan.

When can I eat after a root canal? We recommend to avoid eating for the first hour after treatment to let the temporary filling set into place. You can have something to drink immediately after, avoid anything hot as to not accidentally burn yourself as you may not notice the temperature due the effects of the freezing (local anesthetic). Avoid anything hard, crunchy, sticky, or chewy as to not pull out or break off the temporary filling. Once the permanent filling is placed by your general dentist you can resume eating normally or unless otherwise stated.

Can I still brush and floss my tooth after treatment? After root canal treatment we recommend to avoid brushing the tooth for the first hour as to let the temporary filling set into place. You are then able to resume your regular at home hygiene routine

How long does it take to heal after a root canal? The first few days after root canal treatment can be uncomfortable and can include soreness/tenderness of the area treated. This discomfort may be minimized by following our post-op instructions which will be given to you following the treatment. Dr. Dionne may also prescribe medications as needed. Everyone heals at their own rate. Symptoms generally decrease significantly after the first few days.

Do I need to see my General Dentist after treatment is completed? You will need to see your general dentist within 1-6 weeks after root canal treatment has been completed to have the permanent filling placed. They may also discuss having a permanent crown placed to provide support to an endodontically treated tooth.

Do you place a permanent filling? No, we place a temporary filling after treatment which will cover the access made into the tooth. The temporary filling gets shaped down to avoid putting excess pressure onto the access area. This will help in the healing process as excess pressure will bruise the tooth/delay healing. Your general dentist will perform any restorations required.

Do I need a crown after? We do not place crowns at our office. A crown is highly recommended after root canal therapy to help support the remaining tooth structure which can become brittle after treatment due to the loss of blood supply (pulp). This is a discussion that we recommend you have with your general dentist as they will likely be the provider for this treatment.

What happens if I have a crown/bridge on the tooth already? Or a temporary crown/bridge? We will make access directly through a permanent crown/bridge. No need to have it removed, unless otherwise stated. We use specialized equipment that is minimally invasive which will help maintain the integrity of your crown/bridge. However, there is still a possibility that you may require a new crown/bridge depending on the structural integrity/underlying tooth structure. If you have a temporary crown/bridge, we will remove it during the treatment and it will be placed back on the tooth after.

Do you send a report to my general dentist? What if I want to have my report sent to another office? During your consultation, if it is determined that you require services that cannot be completed at our office, a report will be sent back to your general dentist (or the dentist whom referred you to our office) with the full diagnosis as discussed during your appointment. If treatment is scheduled to be completed at our office, a full report will be sent on completion to include updated images of the treated tooth. If you would like your report to go to another dental office, please inform us to provide proper consent. Please note that the report will still be sent to the dentist that sent the referral information to legally complete the information process.