Patient Info
Post-Procedure Care
After Composite Fillings (White Fillings)
When an anesthetic has been used, your lips and tongue may be numb for several hours after the appointment. Avoid any 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, so please be very careful.
It is normal to experience some hot, cold, and pressure sensitivity after your appointment. Injection sites may also be sore. An Ibuprofen, Tylenol, or Aspirin tablet every 3-4 hours works well to alleviate the tenderness. If pressure sensitivity persists beyond a few days or if the sensitivity to hot or cold increases, contact our office.
After Cosmetic Reconstruction
It takes time to adjust to the feel of your new bite. When the bite is altered, or the position of the teeth is changed, it may take several days for the brain to recognize the new position of your teeth. If you continue to detect any high spots or problems with your bite, schedule an appointment with us, and we’ll make any adjustments as needed.
It is normal to experience some hot and cold sensitivity. Teeth require some time to heal after removal of tooth structure and will be sensitive in the interim. Your gums may also be sore for a few days. Warm salt water rinses three times a day will reduce pain and swelling. A mild pain medication such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen every 3 to 4 hours should ease any residual discomfort.
Don’t be concerned if your speech is affected for the first few days. You’ll quickly adapt and be speaking normally. You may notice increased salivation because your brain responds to the new size and shape of your teeth. It should subside to normal in about a week.
Daily brushing and flossing are a must for your new dental work. Daily plaque removal is critical for the long-term success of your new teeth, as are regular cleaning appointments.
Any food that can crack, chip, or damage a natural tooth can do the same to your new teeth. Avoid hard foods and substances such as nuts, peanut brittle, ice, fingernails or pencils, and especially sticky candies. Smoking will stain your new teeth. Minimize or avoid foods that stain, such as coffee, red wine, tea, and berries.
If you engage in sports, let us know so we can make a custom mouthguard. If you grind your teeth at night, wear the night guard we have provided for you. Adjusting to the look and feel of your new smile will take time. If you have any problems or concerns, please let us know. We always welcome your questions.
After Crown and Bridge Replacements
Crowns and bridges usually take two or three appointments to complete. In the first visit, the teeth are reshaped and then we scan your tooth to send the image to our lab. Temporary crowns or bridges are placed to protect the teeth while the custom restoration is being made. Since the teeth will be anesthetized, the tongue, lips, and roof of the mouth may be numb. Please refrain from eating and drinking hot beverages until the numbness is completely worn off.
Occasionally a temporary crown may come off. Contact us if this happens and bring the temporary crown with you so we can re-cement it. It is very important for the temporary to stay in place, as it will prevent other teeth from moving and compromising the fit of your final restoration.
To keep your temporaries in place, avoid eating sticky or hard foods, and if possible, chew on the opposite side of your mouth. It is important to brush normally, but we recommend you avoid flossing around your tooth while it is in a temporary.
It is normal to experience some temperature and pressure sensitivity after each appointment. The sensitivity should subside in a few weeks after the placement of the final restoration. Mild pain medications may also be used as directed by our office.
If your bite feels uneven, if you have persistent pain, or if you have any other questions or concerns, please call our office.
After Tooth Extractions
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. If the bleeding or oozing still persists, place another gauze pad and bite firmly for another 30 minutes. You may have to do this several times.
After the blood clot forms, it is important not to disturb or dislodge the clot as it aids healing. Do 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 undue 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.
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, and if it is not working, get in contact with us. 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 resume eating normally as soon as you are feeling 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 should feel fine and can resume your normal activities. If you have heavy bleeding, severe pain or continued swelling for 2-3 days, please let us know.
After total smile makeover
Many of our smile makeovers involve a change in your bite, and that may take a few days to adjust to as your brain accommodates to the new position of your teeth. We will see you often while you are in the temporary stage to fine-tune your bite and make any necessary adjustments to the temporaries before we finalize your restorations, so there will be many opportunities to get it all just right.
As with all dental treatments, you may experience some sensitivity while you are in the temporaries, but that will calm down once your treatment is completed. You will want to pay extra attention to keeping everything clean while you are in temporaries, and a Water Pik is often helpful during this time. Remember, these are temporary restorations, so be careful not to bite into anything hard that may chip them. You may also want to avoid foods that may discolor them quickly while waiting for your final restorations to come back from the lab. Once your final restorations are in place, it is helpful to remember that any food that can crack chip or damage a natural tooth can do the same to your new teeth, so avoid hard foods and substances that can damage your teeth.
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Call us at 407-378-2004
