Should I Get a Night Guard After My Root Canal?

We never want to scare anyone away from getting a root canal. Truth be told, they’re fairly painless procedures. With our endodontic dentist, you will receive local anesthetic, and you can opt into one of several different sedation options. That being said, there is a bit of a recovery period after a root canal. Your whole tooth has been emptied out and refilled, and that can leave the gums and nerves a bit tender.

A good way to relieve some of the post-operative pain is by wearing a dental night guard. By relieving pressure on the healing tooth, you can also help to avoid some unwanted complications that may put you back in the chair for continued treatment.

Keeping the Pressure Off Your Tooth After a Root Canal

Your pain is a good indicator of how well you will take care of your tooth after the procedure. Of course, you aren’t going to want a toothbrush anywhere near the treatment area if you’re in significant pain. Wearing a night guard can relieve some of this pain, helping you to stay on track with your aftercare instructions. Keeping the pressure off will also give your new dental crown adequate time to fully cement to your tooth.

Many dentists recommend that you avoid putting new dental crowns through unnecessary strain (such as eating on that side of your mouth) for at least 36 hours. That is doubly important when you’re healing a deeply damaged tooth after root canal therapy. For all of these reasons, dental night guards are a great therapeutic option to make your recovery a little easier.

People With Bruxism Should Strongly Consider a Night Guard

Bruxism, or tooth clenching and grinding, affects up to 8.6 percent of people while they sleep, according to a study from the National Institute of Health (NIH). Grinding your teeth is pretty harmful for their overall health, but it’s especially dangerous to tooth restorations like dental crowns. Putting repeated pressure on the teeth can wear down protective layers of enamel, crack restorations, or open healing teeth to further infection.

If the restoration that is placed on your tooth after a root canal is damaged, bacteria can slip back into the newly treated tooth and re-infect it. This can lead to a need for retreatment or extraction.

Always Ask Your Dentist Before Using a Dental Appliance

Your doctor will give you post-operative instructions and may prescribe medication to assist with your pain and recovery. It’s best to follow all of these instructions and comply with treatment as they recommend. If you’re looking into dental night guards, ask them about using one for your root canal recovery. Definitely don’t buy one to use over the counter without consulting them, as over-the-counter night guards can worsen pain and pressure instead of offering relief.

We Can Create Your Custom Dental Night Guard at Smile Lounge

At Smile Lounge, we want our patients to feel comfortable and taken care of before, during, and after their dental procedures. You deserve the tools and peace of mind that can make that happen. Visit our office for a consultation on custom dental night guards. We can get you fitted for an appliance that will protect healing teeth and restorations from nighttime bruxism, or simply help you to get out of pain after a root canal.

Call today at 469-778-4091 to book your appointment, or use our online booking tool.