Endodontic FAQs
Answering Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve got questions, and we’ve got answers! At Gentle Endodontics, we understand that our patients may have questions about what they can expect from their procedures and about different endodontic terminology. We have compiled some of our frequently asked questions, so you can feel confident going into your procedure with us.
An endodontist is a special kind of dentist. While all endodontists are dentists, not all dentists are endodontists. An endodontist specializes in the treatment of the dental pulp—or the soft tissue that is inside of the tooth that contains nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue. An endodontist also treats the tissues surrounding the teeth’s roots. As an endodontist, Dr. Black specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases and injuries that affect the dental pulp, such as root canals, cracked teeth, dental trauma and more.
Anxiety before a dental procedure is normal, but we aim to make your experience as comfortable as possible! Dr. Black is highly-skilled, trained and experienced in performing root canals. If you’re worried about your recovery, make sure to follow all of Dr. Black’s post-operative instructions. It’s also important that you make sure to take time off of work and school and avoid strenuous exercise to rest and recover. If you have any further questions or specific concerns, we’re more than happy to have you contact us.
Your recovery from a root canal should take less than a week. You may experience some pain and discomfort, which will be treated with over-the-counter pain medication. You should plan to rest the day of your procedure, and go back to your normal routine in the next couple of days. Everyone is different, however, and it’s okay if you need more time to rest and recover. Dr. Black will give you post-operative care instructions to make your recovery as smooth as possible. You can read more about root canal recovery on our Root Canal Therapy page, or if you have any additional concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to us
While it is rare, a tooth that has had a root canal can become infected again. This can happen if bacteria enter the tooth through a crack or decay in the tooth or if the filling material deteriorates over time.
While we always hope that you will not experience any anxiety, don’t worry if you do! Dr. Black knows that some patients may feel anxious before dental appointments or procedures. We aim to make your visit and experience with us as comfortable and stress-free as possible. If you are having a procedure done, we can also prescribe pre-operative anxiety medication to help you feel at ease.
Depending on your needs, we offer several types of sedation dentistry, including laughing gas. We can also prescribe pre-operative anxiety medication to help you feel at ease during your procedure. Our team will thoroughly educate you on what you can expect before, during and after your surgery, so you can feel confident in our care!
A frenectomy is usually performed under local anesthesia, which numbs the area and minimizes any pain or discomfort during the procedure. After the procedure, patients may experience some mild discomfort or swelling, but this can usually be managed with over-the-counter pain medications.
In some cases, a frenectomy can cause temporary speech or feeding problems as the body adjusts to the new tongue or lip mobility. However, these problems usually resolve within a few days to a few weeks.
The recovery time after a frenectomy is usually minimal, and most people are able to return to normal activities within a few days. Dr. Black will provide you with specific aftercare instructions and exercises to help promote healing and prevent complications.
If you have any further concerns or have any questions that we have not addressed here, we are more than happy to have you call us at (434) 333-0382.
