What To Know After You Visit
Complete Care After Your Visit
Dr. Sullivan makes himself available to any of his patients post-visit should they have problems or questions after treatment by calling our office phone during the day or Dr. Sullivan after hours. He believes in giving you the best endodontic experience possible and caring for you post-visit is part of that experience.
Next Steps
After Endodontic Treatment, your root canal system of your tooth will either have a permanent seal filling placed or a temporary filling by Dr. Sullivan, depending on your dentist's preference.
For teeth without a crown (a protective cover to protect the tooth from cracking or breaking) you will need to return to your dentist to have this crown placed. We will forward a report of treatment along with digital radiography taken as well as facilitate an appointment with your dentist for you.
Finalize Your Visit
As a courtesy to you, we will electronically file your insurance claim and have them reimburse you directly as this will shorten the turnaround time for you. Please keep us informed of any changes to your insurance plan. You are responsible for the fees charged by our office, no matter what your insurance coverage may be. Most insurance companies should respond to the claim within four to six weeks. For your convenience we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. We also partnered with Care Credit to offer a 6 month, no interest payment plan. You may apply online at www.carecredit.com or you may apply when you come into our office and Andrea would be happy to help you, if needed.
We deliver the finest care at the most reasonable cost to our patients, therefore payment is due at the time service is rendered unless other arrangements have been made in advance. If you have questions regarding your account, please contact Andrea at 941-840-1906, many times a simple telephone call will clear any misunderstandings. Please remember you are fully responsible for all fees charged by this office regardless of your insurance coverage.
Tenderness
Most of the time there will be minimal to no discomfort of the tooth and gum tissue following the procedure. If the tooth should become tender, this is normal and should not cause alarm and typically resolves in a day or two following treatment. Any discomfort is typically related to inflammation following manipulation or the previous condition of your tooth for which Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) is the most effective in reducing. If you are unable to take NSAIDS due to other conditions or medication interactions, then acetaminophen (Tylenol) is the best choice. Ask your doctor or Dr. Sullivan if you are unsure which is safe for you. Avoid alcohol while taking any of these medications.
Do not chew on the side of treatment for a few days following endodontic therapy to give the tooth the chance to heal. It is also not advisable to chew on the tooth treated until a protective cover (crown) is placed over the affected tooth by a restorative dentist. If it already has a crown then chewing is fine after a few days and it feels normal.
You may always brush and floss as normal.
