Post-op Instructions

• What to Expect from your Root Canal
• What to Expect from your New Fillings
• What to Expect from your New Crown

What to Expect from your Root Canal:

1. Do not eat or chew until the numbness wears off.
2. Expect the tooth to be sore and to have a bruised feeling in the jaw around the tooth for several weeks afterward.
3. Take prescribed medication according to instructions. If no prescription was required, then take over- the-counter pain medication (i.e. Advil) three times per day for three days. Remember, it is easier to prevent pain before it starts than to relieve it, so take a dose of pain medication before the numbness wears off.
4. Warm, moist compresses help relieve soreness or mild aching.
5. Remember that most root canal treated teeth require a crown to be placed as soon as possible to prevent the tooth from breaking. Because the tooth has lost its blood supply, it no longer receives nourishment. This causes the tooth to become more brittle and increases the chance of a fracture. Teeth that have had root canals and are not covered with a crown often break and must be extracted.

Dr. Baugh believes in her work and materials, but more than anything we want you to be satisfied with your care. We therefore provide a twelve month limited warranty on our root canals. Although root canals are very successful, there is a 6% failure rate even when done perfectly. If the treated tooth must receive further nerve-related treatment within twelve months of completing the root canal, we will refund the cost of the root canal, provided the following conditions are met:

A. The tooth had the recommended restoration placed over the root canal (Crown, Onlay, or Permanent filling) within three weeks of root canal completion.
B. You have maintained the recommended teeth cleaning interval (three, four, or six months depending on the health of your gums).

Of course, the best way to ensure the longevity of your treatment is to maintain excellent home care.

Please call us if you have any questions or problems!
Dr. Amelia H. Baugh
Office Number: (817) 847-0100

What to Expect from your New Fillings:

1. Do not eat or chew until the numbness wears off.
2. Your filling will typically be sensitive to cold and heat for up to a week. This is a result of the nerve being irritated by cleaning out the decay. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever about three times a day for three days to soothe the nerve of the tooth. Anti- inflammatory medications, like Advil, are best for dental discomfort. Sensitivity should gradually subside within a week to ten days; if not, please call our office.
3. Once the numbness wears off, your filling will feel “new,” but should not feel like it is high to the point that it prevents your other teeth from coming together normally. If your filling does feel too high, please contact us as soon as possible to have it adjusted.
4. If the decay or old filling was near the nerve, we placed a medication to soothe the nerve. Our practice philosophy is to provide the most conservative treatment possible. For this reason, we do not perform root canals on all teeth that exhibit deep decay. If the nerve of the tooth was healthy before we began, then the medication is very effective and you will likely do fine. If the nerve was unhealthy at the outset, then placing a filling could be the proverbial “straw that breaks the camel’s back,” causing the nerve to die and necessitating further treatment.

Dr. Baugh believes in her work and materials, but more than anything we want you to be satisfied with your care.  We therefore provide a three year limited warranty on our fillings.  If a filling fails for any reason within three years of placement, we will replace the filling free of charge, provided you have maintained the recommended teeth cleaning interval (three, four, or six months depending on the health of your gums).

Of course, the best way to ensure the longevity of your treatment is to maintain excellent home care.

Please call us if you have any questions or problems!
Dr. Amelia H. Baugh
Office Number: (817) 847-0100

What to Expect from your New Crown:

1. Do not eat or chew until the numbness wears off.
2. Ensure that the temporary crown stays on the tooth. If the temporary crown is lost, the teeth will shift and the permanent crown will not fit. Please contact us immediately if your temporary comes off.
3. Do not eat hard, sticky, or chewy foods (such as nuts, gum, caramel, and jerky) as they will dislodge the temporary crown.
4. Brush around the temporary crown normally, but do not floss. Once the permanent crown is seated, you should resume flossing.
5. It is extremely important that the permanent crown be seated in a timely fashion. If too much time passes between preparing the tooth and cementing the crown, the crown will not fit. This can occur even if the temporary crown stays in place. If this occurs, the tooth must be re-prepared, the lab must fabricate a new crown, and additional fees will be assessed to cover the expense. Please do not miss your appointment to seat the crown.
6. Take over-the-counter pain medication (like Advil or Tylenol) three times per day for three days. This will help the nerve settle down and will soothe sore gums.

Dr. Baugh believes in her work and materials, but more than anything we want you to be satisfied with your care.  We therefore provide a three year limited warranty on our crowns. If a crown fails within three years of placement, we will replace the crown free of charge, provided you have maintained the recommended teeth cleaning interval (three, four, or six months depending on the health of your gums).

Please call us if you have any questions or problems!
Dr. Amelia H. Baugh
Office Number: (817) 847-0100