Will the treatment be painful?
We will take every measure to ensure that your procedure is in no way uncomfortable or painful. If treatment is needed, we will inject a small amount of anesthesia to gently numb a concentrated area of your mouth. This often produces no discomfort, however, some teeth are inflammed to an extent that local anesthesia is not as effective. For these cases we will do all we can to make sure you are as comfortable as possible. For most patients, the feeling of numbness usually subsides after 2-3 hours.
Will I need to return to your office for follow-ups after the procedure is finished?
Once endodontic therapy is completed your tooth should be examined periodically, usually every 6 - 12 months. This allows us to make sure the tooth has healed or is healing properly. You will be sent a notice in the mail or recieve a phone call when we feel it is appropriate to reevaluate the area. This appointment and evaluation of the tooth is completed at no cost to you, it is a continuation of the endodontic treatment you had previously recieved to evaluate the healing of the tooth and to determine if further treatment is needed. Since an abscess may take 2 years to heal, our office will typically reevaluate the tooth for at least 2 years.