What to Expect
Pre-Op, Services, and Follow Up Care
First-Time Patient?
Fill out Registration Paperwork and bring into your first visit with us.
Root Canal
Root canal treatment is necessary when the pulp, the soft tissue inside the root canal, becomes inflamed or infected. There are many clinical reasons for needing root canal treatment, but there are also countless practical reasons why saving the natural tooth is a wise choice.
Traumatic Injury
Traumatic dental injuries often occur as a result of an accident or sports injury. The majority of these injuries are minor – chipped teeth. It’s less common to dislodge your tooth or have it knocked completely out but these injuries are more severe.
Apicoectomy
In certain situations where a tooth is not healing properly, endodontic surgery may be necessary. This type of surgery helps to locate fractures or small hidden canals at the root tip that, while they do not appear on x-rays, are in fact present and can be the source of continued pain and infection in the tooth.
Retreatment
With proper care, you’ll keep teeth that have had root canal treatment for a lifetime but it’s possible for those teeth to heal improperly, becoming painful or diseased months or even years after treatment. If this happens to your treated teeth you have a second chance to save the tooth with retreatment.
Cracked Teeth
Whether your tooth cracks from an injury or general wear and tear, you can experience a variety of symptoms ranging from erratic pain when you chew your food to sudden pain when your tooth is exposed to very hot or cold temperatures. In many cases, the pain may come and go and your dentist may have difficulty locating the tooth causing the discomfort.
Dental Implants
Implants are a state-of-the-art replacement for missing teeth. A dental implant is an artificial tooth root placed into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth — the crown — in place. The implant emulates the shape of the root and is usually made of titanium and other materials that are well-suited to the human body.
Pre-operative instructions for surgery
Any patients under 19 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at the time of surgery
Please wear loose fitting short sleeve tee shirt and comfortable clothing (no dresses or skirts)
Please remove contact lenses, all jewelry and watches before surgery and any dental prosthetics
Remove all fingernail polish
If prescribed medication at consultation, please take as directed prior to appointment. You may take with a small sip of water.
DO NOT EAT OR DRINK 6 HOURS PRIOR TO SURGERY: including water and coffee. If you need to take medications please take them with no more than half a glass of water. If you have any questions please call our office.
Please arrange for a ride to and from the office on the day of your surgery. Patients will NOT be able to drive home after surgery. Please inform your driver that he/she will need to stay in the reception room during surgery.
Post Operative Care & Instructions
Now that your root canal has been completed, the inflamed or infected tissue that was inside your tooth is now gone. It is normal to feel some tenderness in the area over the next several days. This soreness is due to inflammation around the root of the tooth and inflammation in the jaw muscles or joint from being open for an extended period of time. Your tooth should feel better each day. These symptoms are temporary and are usually controlled with over-the-counter medication. Our recommendation is an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory such as Ibuprofen. A good anti-inflammatory dose would be 600mg – 800mg Ibuprofen every 6 hours for a healthy adult. If you are unable to take Ibuprofen, please contact us for an alternative pain medication. Remember that narcotic medications, if prescribed, may make you drowsy, and caution should be taken in operating machinery or driving. Narcotic pain medication can also upset your stomach. It is best to take these medications with food.
If your tooth continues to cause pain please contact the office at (334) 793-7687.
Guidelines for Post-Treatment Care
- Do not eat until the numbness has worn off. This will prevent you from biting your cheek or tongue.
- Do not eat any hard foods (such as ice or popcorn) on the tooth for 3–4 days after the root canal has been completed. No chewing gum.
- If you have a temporary filling, do not chew or bite on the tooth until it has been restored by your general dentist.
- Brush and floss your teeth as you normally would.
- If you have a temporary filling, it is not unusual for a thin layer or small piece to break off between appointments. If you feel that the entire filling has come out, then please contact us.
- Please contact us if you experience any severe pain or swelling.
Within 2-3 weeks you need to return to your general dentist for a permanent restoration unless told otherwise by Dr. Carroll.
Information from AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ENDODONTISTS.
Contact Our Office
220 Healthwest Dr., Ste 1
Dothan, AL 36303
(334) 793 – 7687
Call: 334.793.7687
Fax: 334.793.0067
Working Hours
Monday-Thursday 6am-2:30pm
Address:
220-1 Healthwest Drive
Dothan, AL 36303