Post Operative Instructions

Fillings

Following your filling appointment if an anesthetic has been used, your lips, tongue and cheek may be numb for several hours after the appointment. Avoid chewing and hot beverages until the numbness has completely worn off. It is very easy to bite or burn your tongue or lip while you are numb.

It is normal to experience some hot, cold & pressure sensitivity after your appointment. Injection sites may also be sore. Over the counter Ibuprofen (Motrin) or Tylenol (one tablet every 4 hours as needed for pain) work well to alleviate the tenderness. Once the numbness is completely worn off, if you feel that the filled teeth come in contact prior to the rest of the teeth contact our office for an adjustment.

You may chew with your composite (tooth colored) fillings as soon as the anesthetic completely wears off, since they are fully set when you leave the office. If you chose the silver fillings do not eat on that side for the next eight hours since silver fillings take longer to achieve their complete set strength.

Crowns and Bridges

Crowns and Bridges are usually completed in two appointments. Following anesthesia the teeth are prepared for a permanent bridge/crown and an impression is taken. This impression is very important. Your dentist may have to take more than one impression. It dictates the precision of your permanent bridge or crown. Then a temporary bridge/ crown are placed on the teeth for protection. The size, shape, and color of the temporary do not resemble the final restoration. A temporary bridge/crown is easily removed; therefore care must be taken not to dislodge it before your permanent bridge/crown is placed.

Do not chew sticky foods such as caramel or chewing gum. When flossing, pull the floss out the side; do not pop it through the contact with the tooth next to it. You will not be able to floss between the teeth of your temporary bridge. If your temporary bridge /crown comes off, you can place some Fixodent (available at any pharmacy) inside it and put it back on, then call our office during normal business hours and we will re-cement it Do not leave your temporary off, even if you have no discomfort. If you feel the bite is not correctly balanced, please call for an appointment for a simple adjustment. Without a temporary bridge to hold your teeth in place, your teeth can move causing your new bridge not to fit. If that occurs, you would have to purchase another bridge.

Your gums may be sore. Warm salt water rinses will speed healing. You may have sensitivity to hot or cold. This is common and normal since the temporary is not an accurate fit of the prepared teeth. If you feel like you are biting first or harder on your temporary or permanent bridge, call us for an adjustment or you will develop a sore tooth.

Be sure to brush and floss your new bridge. With a bridge, you will need special floss threaded or other aids to reach and clean all areas properly.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call our office. Your comfort is our priority!

Root Canal Treatment

Root canal therapy often takes two or more appointments to complete depending on the severity of infection. At the start of treatment your dentist may isolate the tooth with a rubber dam to prevent salivary contamination of the canal system and protect you from the irrigants used during the procedure. A temporary filling or crown is placed to protect the tooth between appointments.

After each appointment when anesthetic has been used, your lips, teeth and tongue may be numb for several hours after the appointment. Avoid any chewing until the numbness has completely worn off.

If the tooth was asymptomatic to start with there are usually no flare –ups between appointments. But if you came in with a severe toothache or a swelling it will take time to heal and expect to have flare-ups between appointments.

Between appointments it is common for a small portion of your temporary filling to wear away or break off. You may even have a bad taste. If the entire filling falls out, or if a temporary crown comes off, call us so that it can be replaced.

It's normal to experience some discomfort for several days after a root canal appointment, especially when chewing. To control discomfort, take pain medication as recommended. To further reduce pain and swelling rinse three times a day with warm salt water.

If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them as prescribed, even if all symptoms and signs of infection are gone. Since the tooth is very fragile following treatment avoid eating sticky and hard foods. Avoid chewing on that side until the permanent crown is placed. The permanent crown will protect the tooth from breaking in future.

Extractions

After tooth extraction, it’s important for a blood clot to form to stop the bleeding and begin the healing process. That’s why we ask you to bite on a gauze pad for 30-45 minutes after the appointment. You may have to do this several times. If bleeding still persists, biting on a moist tea bag wrapped in gauze may help control the oozing from the surgical site. Tea has an ingredient that promotes blood clotting.

After the blood clot forms, it is important not to disturb or dislodge the clot as it aids healing. Does not rinse vigorously, suck on straws, smoke, drink alcohol or brush teeth next to the extraction site for 72 hours. These activities will dislodge or dissolve the clot and retard the healing process. Limit vigorous exercise for the next 24 hours as this will increase blood pressure and may cause more bleeding from the extraction site.

Failure to comply with the above instructions will result in dislodgement of the clot and severe throbbing pain at the extraction site, since the bone is now exposed to the oral environment. After the tooth is extracted you may feel some pain and experience some swelling. An ice pack or an unopened bag of frozen peas or corn applied to the area will keep swelling to a minimum. Take pain medications as prescribed. The swelling usually subsides after 48 hours.

Use the pain medication as directed. Call the office if the medication doesn’t seem to be working. If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time, even if signs and symptoms of infection are gone. Drink lots of fluid and eat nutritious soft food on the day of the extraction. You can eat normally as soon as you are comfortable.

It is important to resume your normal dental routine after 24 hours. This should include brushing and flossing your teeth at least once a day. This will speed healing and help keep your mouth fresh and clean. After a few days you will feel fine and can resume your normal activities. If you have heavy bleeding, severe pain, continued swelling for 2-3 days, or a reaction to the medication, call our office immediately.

Bone Grafting

In addition to the above instructions, it is important to remember a few additional points if you have received a graft within the socket site after we removed your tooth.

The bone graft is made up of many fine particles. You may find some small granules in your mouth for the first several days. Do not be alarmed by the presence of these small granules. It is completely normal for some granules to become dislodged from the graft site, but there are some things you can do to minimize the amount of granules which become dislodged:

  • Do not rinse vigorously or spit for the first 3 to 5 days.
  • Do not apply pressure with your tongue or fingers to the grafted area. The material is movable during the initial phases of healing and it is best to leave the area undisturbed as much as possible.
  • Do not lift or pull your lip back to look at the sutures. This pulling or stretching can damage the wound, tear sutures and decrease the success of the graft. These sutures may or may not be resorbable. If you have been told that you have received external silk sutures they have to be removed by us. Sometimes your dentist may even place a barrier for the graft which may or may not be resorbable and may have to be removed.

On the first day it is best to let the area settled and allows the blood clot to stabilize the graft material. Therefore, do not even rinse your mouth the first day. After the first day you may begin gentle rinsing with warm salt water, but avoid rinsing vigorously and avoid forced spitting.

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