Dr. Christina Binert & Associates
700 Coxwell Avenue, Toronto,
Ontario M4C 3B9
Phone: 416 - 461 - 2273

Coxwell Dental Care is a Dentist in East York, Ontario.

Root Canals

UNDERSTANDING YOUR ROOT CANAL WHAT IS A ROOT CANAL?
In the center of your tooth there is an artery, a vein, and a nerve. When this area gets infected it must be physically removed, and filled with an inert filling material.
WILL IT CAUSE DISCOMFORT?
During a root canal, the tooth is numb from the use of local anaesthetic. There should be no feeling at all during the appointment. The dilemma that arises is what to tell you our patient to expect afterward. In 95% of the cases, there is only minor swelling and tenderness, but in 5% of the cases it can be quite uncomfortable. That is why we prescribe very strong pain medication with every root canal. You should not drive or drink alcohol with it. We recommend that you take some Ibuprofen, Tylenol, or Aspirin (whichever suits you best) while your tooth is still numb, to ease the transition when the anaesthetic wears off. Then, if there is any discomfort, you will have a prescription for a very strong pain medication that you can fill if you need to.
SHOULD I USE MY ANTIBIOTICS?
If you have been prescribed antibiotics, it is essential that you take them to help rid the area of infection. And as with all antibiotics, FINISH the entire prescription for a very strong pain medication that you can fill if you need to.
ARE ROOT CANALS ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL?
No! A root canal is not a black and white cure. It is a therapy with a very high success rate. Sometimes, the infection never clears up, and the tooth must be either:

a) retreated,

b) nave a retrofill, (a retrofill is when we lay the gum tissue back, curette out the infection, and place a silver filling at the bottom of the root), or

c) extracted. The success or failure of a root canal can result from causes that are not under our control, such as the anatomy of the tooth, or the patient's own immune system.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MY ROOT CANAL?
After the artery, vein, and nerve are taken out of the tooth, it is technically "dead". The reason the tooth may be sore is that the area around the tooth is inflamed. The tooth will become dry and brittle, and can fracture. That is why all teeth with root canals need a "Post Build-Up" and a "Crown" as soon as possible. The ideal time frame is within a week. A Build-Up is where we place a post down the canal of the root and place a filling around it. Then we place a crown over the Build-Up to hold the tooth together. The Build-Up and Crown are separate procedures with separate fees, and are not included in the fee for the root canal. After the root canal, Build-Up and Crown, the tooth should be fine and you should use it as you would any ordinary tooth.

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