Dentist Questions Root Canal

When should I follow up with my dentist after my root canal?

I just had a root canal completed recently and my endodontist said I should definitely follow up with him after the treatment, but he didn't recommend any sort of time frame. How soon should I follow up with him?

7 Answers

After the root canal is finished you should have it fixed as soon as possible. The hole made to do the root canal needs to be filled. It is possible to wedge some thing in the hole. If the tooth has not been crowned before this can lead to the tooth breaking. Depending on the break the tooth might have to be removed. It is best to get to hole filled and a crown if that is needed.
In my endodontic office, we ask our patients to return 6 months after completion of treatment for a follow up check up appointment. If everything looks good, they don't need to come back, but if we find something that needs to be followed, we may ask them to come back again in another 6 months to a year.
After 2-3 weeks, you probably may have sensitivity when biting, but also have temporary filling which can fracture tooth
You should follow up with your general dentist within a week or two so they can start restoring the tooth and decrease the potential for it breaking.
After one week, you should see your GP if you do not have any symptoms. You will need post and crown.
Once a root canal is completed the nerve is gone, the decay is gone, and the pain is gone. However, the treatment is not completed. These teeth are now hallow in a sense, and more brittle due to the loss of blood supply. A core buildup and crown is needed to prevent tooth fracture and reinfection which would require retreatment and/or extraction. I usually recommend seeing a dentist 1 week following RCT treatment.
Usually a three month follow up is good.