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Primary dentist and root canal dentist are two different persons.
I got the root canal treatment and root canal dentist told me to come back to primary dentist for permanent restoration (filling) in one to two weeks.
But I failed to make an appointment within one or two weeks with my dentist, the earliest available appointment is around 4 weeks away.
Does it matter? Can temporary filling last 4 weeks? I will try to use the tooth gently in the next 4 weeks, till permanent filling is done.
Why they do temporary filling? Why not permanent filling directly?
While I haven't had a root canal I have had several crowns which included temporary fillings. Depending on the tooth (you tend to put differing amounts of pressure on different teeth while eating) the temporaries stayed in place for 3+ weeks assuming I took reasonable precautions when chewing. Probably hard to predict for any individual.
As for why they put in a temporary filling, these could be reasons:
a) if the tooth will end up being crowned, it may take time to get the permanent filling made by the lab. Not all dentists can produce permanent crowns right on site.
b) having you go back to your primary dentist to have the permanent filling placed instead of paying the specialist do it may save you $. It's a relatively simple, straightforward job. Why pay a specialist to do something a primary dentist can for less $?
Last edited by Parnassia; 03-05-2024 at 03:19 PM..
Yes, it is possible for the temporary to last a month or more, if you're careful. Four weeks seems typical for a a follow up appointment. If the temp falls out, just return to have it fixed. It's an easy and quick fix.
Yes, it is possible for the temporary to last a month or more, if you're careful. Four weeks seems typical for a a follow up appointment. If the temp falls out, just return to have it fixed. It's an easy and quick fix.
That is not for follow up appointment, that is appointment to replace temporary filling (done by root canal specialist) with permanent filling (will be done by general dentist, another person).
Follow up appointment with root canal specialist is 12 months later.
That is not for follow up appointment, that is appointment to replace temporary filling (done by root canal specialist) with permanent filling (will be done by general dentist, another person).
Follow up appointment with root canal specialist is 12 months later.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coney
Yes, it is possible for the temporary to last a month or more, if you're careful. Four weeks seems typical for a a follow up appointment. If the temp falls out, just return to have it fixed. It's an easy and quick fix.
I had to cancel my appointment for the permanent crown once and it was 3 weeks, no problem. Another time I had to go in and have him squeeze in a replacement temporary when it broke while eating dinner. Just try to chew on the other side and avoid stick food or hard foods like nuts, granola, and some cold cereals, worst of all, cornnuts.
That is not for follow up appointment, that is appointment to replace temporary filling (done by root canal specialist) with permanent filling (will be done by general dentist, another person).
Follow up appointment with root canal specialist is 12 months later.
Yes, that's what I said. If the temp falls out, just go back to the endodontist who will replace it. They can usually squeeze you in since it's a quick fix. The permanent filling or crown should be done by your regular dentist, probably the one who sent to to the endodontist in the first place. That's what I meant by follow-up and yes, it's semantics. The meaning was clear.
Here's the answer, which you could have - and should have - received at your dentist's office just by asking them to explain and help you learn more about your own dental health:
When you get a root canal treatment, the root is removed while keeping the tooth otherwise intact, by drilling through the tooth. Once that happens, there's now a hole where the root used to be, which needs to be filled. But there's also inflammation, and the pulp above where the root was removed will be at risk of bacteria collection and infection. It needs to heal, before it can be permanently filled. So they apply a temporary filling, which stabilizes the tooth and protects against bacteria and infection while it's healing. Once it's healed, the temporary filling is removed and a permanent filling put in. The temporary filling is made of slightly different materials, usually zinc and eugenol among other things. Those materials aren't usually suitable for permanent fillings. But permanent fillings aren't suitable for killing bacteria and reducing inflammation.
As for how long it can last: no more than 6 weeks, and that's IF you do nothing that damages the temporary filling. The filling is a fixed size once it hardens in the hole made by drilling out the root. But the inflammation eventually heals, making that filling no longer a proper fit for the healed hole. At that point, bacteria can once again get in, and cause infection.
And so six weeks is the absolute maximum. Two to three weeks is the recommended.
Last time I had root canal I had the permanent filling to replace the temporary one more than 2 months after the root canal. Will it have bad consequence?
Last time I had root canal I had the permanent filling to replace the temporary one more than 2 months after the root canal. Will it have bad consequence?
How long ago did all this happen? How long has the permanent filling been in place? 1 month? 6 months? 2 years?
IIRC no one on C-D owns the crystal ball that can predict the future of your tooth.
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