Restorative fillings
General Guidelines for all procedures: Do not chew on hard, sticky or chewy foods for a least 24 hours. Never chew on ice. Avoid aggressive chewing and sticky foods such as “hard tack” candies that can loosen or damage a restoration. Carefully follow all guidelines provided by the doctor and their staff and most importantly practice good oral hygiene.
If filling feels high or you’re experiencing any dental discomfort please call the office.
Crown and Bridge Procedure
Crowns and Bridges may take multiple visits to complete. The dentist will inform you of your treatment options and the time needed to complete the procedure(s). You may have some sensitivity following treatment with soreness around the gum and tooth for a day or two. If the tenderness or sensitivity last longer than this please contact our office.
If anesthesia is used avoid chewing, biting, and eating until the numbness has worn off. If you have a temporary Crown or bridge placed eat softer foods and avoid foods that are particularly crunchy, chewy or hard.
If the temporary restorations become loose or breaks, please call us immediately. Carefully clean around the restoration, brushing and flossing daily.
Denture/Partials
You may have discomfort for a few days after receiving your final dentures or partials. Dentures and partials will often need adjustments in order to fit secure. To help adjust to your dentures you can practice reading aloud for a little while each day. At night you should remove your dentures and clean them. They should be stored in a clean container filled with denture cleaning solution. Dentures should be removed for at least 6 hours a day to give your mouth and gums time to rest. Food particles can become trapped under dentures causing inflammation or sore spots. Brush the roof of your mouth and your tongue. Please remember to still keep yearly hygiene appointments to check dentures and gum tissue.
Wearing ill-fitting dentures or partials without proper care and adjustment can cause severe bone loss and very serious oral disease.
Please call our office at the first signs of any symptoms or if you are experiencing ongoing pain or discomfort.
Scaling/Root Planing
Scaling and root planing therapy includes removing bacterial plaque from the root surface below the gum line. This helps reduce inflammation and infection and improves the depth of periodontal pockets, therefore allowing more efficient flossing and brushing. For the first 24 hours you may experience some cold and heat sensitivity. Do not eat, drink, chew or consume hot foods or beverages until the numbness has worn off following anesthetic. Avoid vigorous physical exercise, smoking and excessive alcohol. Some bleeding following a deep cleaning is normal, but if you experience excessive bleeding please call our office. You can take ibuprofen or acetaminophen according to the instructions on the label or those provided by your doctor as needed. The dental hygienist will review post op instructions and dispense oral rinse.
If you experience heavy bleeding or pain please call office.
Root Canal
It is recommended that you take something for pain-relief within one hour of leaving our office. It is best to get the medication into your blood stream before the anesthesia begins to subside. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) is very effective. Two to four tablets may be taken up to four times a day for the next 3–4 days (if needed) to help control the sensitivity in this area. If you have a medical condition or gastrointestinal disorder which precludes ibuprofen, acetaminophen (Tylenol) is a substitute, although it does not contain anti-inflammatory properties. Aspirin and aspirin-containing products are NOT advisable, as they tend to increase bleeding from the area that was treated. If you experience discomfort, you can put an ice pack over treated area for 30 minutes to reduce swelling. Please do not chew or attempt to eat on the side of your mouth that has been worked on while this area is still numb. Whenever possible, try to chew on the opposite side from the treated tooth until you have a crown placed. Until that time, your tooth is still weak and could fracture. Do not smoke during the first 24 hours and minimize the number of times you smoke during the remaining healing process. Please avoid crunchy or hard foods which could cause the tooth without a crown to fracture.
A putty-like material is placed in your tooth after completion of your root canal treatment. If left too long it can allow bacteria to re-enter your treated tooth leading to further treatment. It is recommended that you return to this office no later than 3–4 weeks after root canal treatment to have your tooth prepared for a crown and build-up.
Delay in obtaining your final restoration (a crown unless otherwise discussed) may result in fracture and/or possible loss of the tooth.
Extraction of 3rd Molars
Post Operative Instructions for Wisdom Teeth (3rd Molars) Immediately following surgery, keep the gauze pad placed over the surgical area with pressure applied by biting down until the bleeding stops. A certain amount of bleeding is to be expected following a surgical procedure. Slight bleeding, oozing, or redness in the saliva is not uncommon. Repeat as necessary within a one-hour period following surgery. To help minimize bleeding, refrain from physical exercise. You may become dizzy when getting up following surgery and for a few days after the surgery. Sit up slowly and give yourself a minute to adjust before moving. Swelling and stiffness are to be expected the first 24 hours after surgery. Swelling around the face, eyes and surgical site may occur. This swelling may not appear until the day following the surgery and may become more noticeable two to three days following surgery. You can help to minimize the swelling by applying a cold compress on the face near the extraction site
alternating on for 20 minutes then off for 20 minutes. After 36 hours the ice will have no further impact on swelling. After this period, the application of moist heat to the sides of the face can help reduce swelling. If you have been prescribed pain medication besides aspirin, Tylenol or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), do not drive, operate heavy equipment, work around machinery or tools or engage in any other activity that may be unsafe when groggy, as your reflexes and judgment will be affected by the medication.
Medication should not be taken on an empty stomach. If you have been placed on antibiotics, take the medicine as directed. Antibiotics may be prescribed to help prevent infection. For 24-48 hours following your surgery, do not suck on a straw, drink from a bottle, rinse, spit, or smoke. Doing so may result in dislodging the clot and cause a dry socket.
If you are experiencing pain please call office with any questions.
Dental Extractions
Immediately following surgery, keep the gauze pad placed over the surgical area with pressure applied by biting down. A certain amount of bleeding is to be expected following a surgical procedure. Placing the gauze pad over the area and biting firmly may control excessive bleeding. Slight bleeding, oozing, or redness in the saliva is not uncommon. Repeat as necessary within a one-hour period following surgery. If you have been prescribed pain medication besides aspirin, Tylenol or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), do not drive, operate heavy equipment, work around machinery or tools or engage in any other activity that may be unsafe when groggy, as your reflexes and judgment will be affected by the medication. Do not take more than 800mg every 4-6 hours. Medication should not be taken on an empty stomach. If you have been placed on antibiotics, take the medicine as directed. Antibiotics may be prescribed to help prevent infection. Swelling around the face, eyes and surgical site is not uncommon.
This swelling may not appear until the day following the surgery and may become more noticeable two to three days following surgery. You can help to minimize the swelling by applying a cold compress on the face near the extraction site alternating on for 20 minutes then off for 20 minutes. After 36 hours the ice will have no further impact on swelling.
Any concerns call the office or oral surgeon.
If any sutures were required, they will dissolve on their own in 7-10 days. If you need to return for suture removal the provider will let you know when to schedule that. Children should be supervised after having an extraction to make sure they do not bite or their tongue or lips as it can cause serious injury to their soft tissue. Please call our office if you experience severe pain, excessive bleeding or swelling, or if you have any questions or concerns. In the event of an emergency, please call our office.
If you are experiencing a serious or life threatening emergency, please call 911.
Post Operative Instructions Following Implant Surgery/Implant
After treatment you may have some pain, bleeding and swelling. A cold compress placed on the face near the extraction site for 30 minutes every five to ten minutes on the day of your surgery can be helpful. This will help reduce pain and swelling. Avoid brushing your teeth near the surgery site but brush and floss the rest of your mouth as instructed by the office. You can take ibuprofen or acetaminophen according to the instructions on the label or those provided by your doctor as needed. A warm salt water rinse, approximately ½ teaspoon in an eight ounce glass of water, three times a day can be helpful. For the first 24 hours you may experience some cold and heat sensitivity. Use caution when selecting food, soft diet is recommended . Avoid vigorous physical exercise for the first 24 hours and do not consume alcoholic beverages or smoke for at least 48 hours. Do not brush, rinse or spit. Do not use a straw for drinking. If you experience excessive bleeding or discomfort after 48-72
hours, please call our office immediately. Follow any other instructions provided by the office on your visit. Please take all medications as prescribed including your prescribed antibiotics to help prevent infection.
After any procedure done in our office please don’t hesitate to call office, we are on call 24 hours a day, in the event you feel like this is an emergency please call 911.