What are the follow-up procedures after an apicoectomy?


Your endodontist will show you which medicines to take, what you can eat, and what you can drink. You may have to apply ice on the area for about ten to twelve hours after the surgery. You should also get a lot of rest during this period.

The area operated on will bruise and it will swell. It may be more swollen on the second day than on the first day. If you want to control the pain then you can use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Ibuprofen, Advil, and Mortrin. These can be bought over the counter. In certain cases you may be given prescription medication from your dentist.

You should avoid brushing the operated area and rinsing your mouth vigorously if you want to heal properly. You should avoid eating crunchy foods, hard foods, and you should avoid smoking. Avoid lifting your lip and examining the area as well. This may loosen the stitches and disrupt the blood clot that is important for recovery.

There will numbness in the area for several days or even weeks after the surgery. You should tell your dentist about this numbness but it eventually goes away anyway. Stitches will be removed after a week or two from the procedure and the soreness and swelling should be gone in about two weeks as well. Apicoectomy is a surgery although people say that it is easier to recover from it than root canal treatment.

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