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| What is root canal therapy? |
| Root canal therapy is removing of the nerve by opening a small access opening on the surface of the tooth. The canal(s) will be cleansed, shaped, and filled. We will than close the access opening with a temporary filling, unless otherwise stated by your general dentist. |
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| How long is the procedure and how many visits? |
| Root canal therapy can take up to an hour. There is usually one visit unless there is an infection or the anatomy of the tooth requires an additional visit. |
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| Will I need a crown or filling? |
| You must make an appointment with your dentist who will determine how to restore the tooth with the choice of a crown or a permanent filling. |
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| Will there be a lot of pain afterward? |
| Pain varies from person to person. Most of your pain comes from inflammation around the tooth and from keeping your mouth open for a long period of time. The Doctor will discuss managing the pain after your treatment. |
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| Do you use nitrous or I.V. sedation? |
| In our office we use local anesthetic. Our office will use oral sedation for patients who are accompanied by someone that can drive. |
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| Can I drive after root canal therapy? |
| You can drive afterwards, however if you choose to use oral sedation you must bring someone to drive you home. |
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| What can I do to prepare for root canal therapy? |
| We ask that you try to remember to bring your referral card from your general dentist and most recent x-rays. We ask that you try to stay calm and relax yourself. |
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| When is payment expected? |
| Payment is due at the time of service, including all co-pays and deductibles for patients with insurance. However, if we submit to your insurance company and for any reason, they do not pay the amount we will bill you the remaining balance. |
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| What method of payment do you accept? |
| We accept Cash, Check, Master Card, Visa and CareCredit. **CareCredit is a dental credit card that you may apply for in our office or on the internet (please call for more information regarding CareCredit, prior to your appointment). |
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| Are there any post operative instructions? |
| You may experience soreness in the general area up to a week or so after treatment. This is a perfectly normal reaction to the therapy that was preformed. Root canal therapy causes inflammation in the ligament, which surrounds the tooth into the bone. It is this inflammation that is the likely source for pain when biting and touching the tooth. We strongly advise that you take 600mg ibuprofen 3 times per day for 2 days after treatment. Advil and Motrin are acceptable, to do so. Tylenol is acceptable for patients who are allergic to ibuprofen. If there is a throbbing sensation, you can apply an ice pack on the affected area for 15 minutes at a time. We would also recommend against chewing on that side of the mouth until your dentist indicates it is acceptable to do so. Please take all medications as instructed as they are given to you in your best interest. After treatment is complete, make an appointment with your dentist for a follow up procedure to restore the tooth. A complete report and follow up radiograph will be sent to your doctor to facilitate this process. Should you feel severe pain, swelling or any other symptoms, which cause you to feel uncomfortable, please call the office and ask any questions to clarify your situation. We maintain 24-hour access in order to assist you in anyway we can. If you feel the need to call the office, follow the instructions and we will return your call as soon as possible. |
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