It is our belief of our office that you should be informed about treatment and that you should give your consent before starting that treatment. Risks of treatment are two kinds: those risks involved in general dental procedures, and those risks specific to endodontic treatment.
Risks of dental procedures in general:
Included (but not limited to) are complications resulting from the use of dental instruments, drugs, sedation, medicines, analgesics (pain killers), anesthetics, and injections. These complications include pain, infection, swelling, bleeding, sensitivity, numbness, and tingling sensation in the lip, tongue, chin, gums, cheeks and teeth, thrombophlebitis (inflammation to a vein), reaction to injections, change in occlusion (biting), muscle cramps and spasms, temporomandibular (jaw) joint difficulty, loosening of teeth or restoration in teeth, injury to other tissues, referred pain to the ear, neck and head, nausea and vomiting, allergic reaction, itching, bruises, delayed healing, sinus complications, and further surgery. Medication and drugs may cause drowsiness and lack of awareness and coordination (which can be influenced by the use of alcohol or other drugs), thus it is advisable not to operate any vehicle or hazardous device or work for twenty-four hours or until recovered from their effects.
Risks specific to endodontic therapy
1. The purpose of root canal therapy is to retain teeth that would otherwise have to be extracted.
2. Treatment may require multiple visits. It is important that you maintain scheduled appointments or the infection can reoccur.
3. In most cases, there is only mild discomfort following each treatment. This is usually controlled with aspirin, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, or prescribed medication.
4. Endodontic treatment has a high degree of success. As any medical or dental treatment, however, this treatment has no guarantee of success for any length of time. Teeth with previous root canal treatment will have a lower success rate.
5. Accurate and complete disclosure of medical information is necessary for proper diagnosis, and to help prevent unnecessary complications during your treatment.
6. The most common complications with root canal therapy include, but are not limited to:
- Continued infection requiring endodontic (root canal) surgery or extraction of the tooth.
- Calcified canals or canals blocked by broken instruments requiring endodontic (root canal) surgery or extraction of the tooth.
- Pain, requiring use of medication.
- Side effects and reactions to medication.
- Fractures (breaking) of the root or crown of the tooth during or after treatment. It is recommended that all posterior teeth be crowned following root canal treatment. If your tooth already has a crown, there is a chance it will need to be replaced due to decay or loss of structural support. Porcelain crowns are subject to breakage and or porcelain fracture which may require a new crown.
- Tenderness of the tooth following treatment due to possible complications with root canal treatment, gum disease, physical stress from chewing, or the degree of healing your body exhibits.
7. Other treatment choices include no treatment, waiting for more definite development of symptoms, and tooth extraction. Risks involved in these choices might include pain, infection, swelling, loss of teeth, and infection to other areas.
8. Remember, your final restoration (filling, onlay, or crown), will be done by your general dentist. If you have any questions, please ask. The final restoration is not part of this discussion and consent.
I, the undersigned, being the patient (parent or guardian of a minor patient) consent to the performing of the procedures decided upon to be necessary or advisable in the opinion of the doctor.