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Restorations
It is best not to eat or drink before any numbness goes away. Once the numbness is gone, you can eat, chew, and do normal activities. Normally, there is no sensitivity, or post operative pain unless in the area of the anesthetic injection which may be slightly sore. Any bruising, or swelling is abnormal, please call our office. Silver (amalgam) fillings may be sensitive to hot and cold for a short period, white (composite) fillings should not be sensitive. If you feel that you are not closing together properly after you have just had a restoration placed, an adjustment may be needed. Please call the office for an appointment. Deep fillings (the doctor will advise you as to the depth) may be very sensitive and can begin to throb; in that event you will need to call the dentist for an appointment. Ibuprofen is the best over the counter remedy for short term dental pain.
Root Canals
It is best not to eat or drink before any numbness goes away. Once the numbness is gone, you can eat, chew, and do normal activities. The anesthetic site may be slightly sore after the procedure, but should go away within about 24 hours. Any swelling or bruising is abnormal, please call our office. The tooth that had the root canal may actually be sore for a short period especially when chewing on it. If this soreness persists for a week or longer after the procedure, please call our office. Hot and cold should not bother a root canal tooth after treatment. In the event that your tooth was fractured, necessitating the root canal, your tooth may still be sensitive until the permanent crown is put on. Any fever, redness, or swelling after the procedure should be reported to the office. After the numbness wears off, (usually within a couple of hours), normal chewing can occur. Take all prescribed medications as directed. Ibuprofen is the best over the counter remedy for short tem dental pain.
Crown Preparations
It is best not to eat or drink before any numbness goes away. You may have some soreness in the tooth or gum area. Use a warm salt water rinse as often as necessary until the soreness is no longer noticed. Ibuprofen might also help while the soreness is present. When you bite together, or on food, if the tooth feels high, please call our office for an adjustment. Irreversible damage may occur if you ignore the bite if it is too high. A tooth that has been prepared for a crown or cap will have a temporary crown placed while the permanent crown is being made. It is designed only to be temporary. Don't delay the delivery of the crown. IF THE TEMPORARY COMES OFF, PLEASE CALL OUR OFFICE TO HAVE THE CROWN RECEMENETED IMMEDIATELY. A temporary crown that comes off, and is not recemented, may cause the permanent crown not to fit properly. An extra lab fee could result if a temporary is not recemented, and the permanent has to be remade due to the temporary being off. No chewing gum or taffy while the temporary crown is on. If your temporary comes off, and you are out of town, please dry your temporary, and place toothpaste inside the crown, dry the tooth and slide the crown back over the tooth. The crown should hold until you can be seen.
Extractions/Oral Surgery
To prevent unnecessary bleeding, maintain gentle pressure over the surgery sites by biting on gauze. You should have been given a supply of gauze. If more are required, they can be purchased at a drug store or supermarket. A tea bag which has been moistened and wrapped in a piece of gauze is also effective. Pressure should be continued for 1-2 hours or until most of the bleeding has stopped. Change the packs every 15-20 minutes or when saturated. It is not unusual to have some slight oozing for up to 24 hours. Rest the day of surgery and keep your head slightly elevated. Do not engage in physical activity since this stimulates bleeding. Unless you already have your medications, get them filled as soon as possible, and take as directed. Frequently, with oral surgery, a long-acting local anesthetic is used—especially if bone was removed. This prevents pain but may also prolong numbness for up to 12-15 hours. Take a pain pill when you first feel discomfort. It is important to get adequate nutrition after surgery to help the healing process. Just drink liquid food supplements or juices and eat soft foods the day of surgery. Progress to harder foods as healing progresses. If wisdom teeth were removed, your jaw is temporarily weaker than before surgery. For that reason, you should not chew forcefully for 5-6 weeks. To do otherwise, could cause a bone fracture. Do not rinse for the first day after surgery since this could dislodge the blood clot. If teeth were removed, it could lead to a dry socket. After 24 hours, rinse with warm salt water (1/2 teaspoon of table salt in 8 oz. water) 3-4 times a day for 4-5 days. Beside rinsing, other behavior that can contribute to dry sockets are smoking, using a straw, and alcoholic beverages. To help prevent swelling, an ice pack should be applied to the face adjacent to the surgery sites. This is especially important if bone was removed. Apply for 20 minutes on, and 5 minutes off until bedtime on the day of surgery. With most oral surgeries, swelling peaks within the first 48 hours, and then goes down. Significant swelling beyond this time could indicate infection. If this occurs, call the dentist. If sutures were placed, please return for their removal. Sometimes allergies to medications present, infection(foul taste, unusual or prolonged swelling), or dry sockets(throbbing pain 3-5 days after the procedure). These and other potential problems are treatable if brought to the doctor’s attention. If you suspect problems with healing, do not hesitate to call the office or the doctor at home. If you cannot reach the doctor, please go to the local emergency room.
Cleaning/Root Planning
Warm salt water rinse may be needed if your gums become tender, rinse as often as needed. Ibuprofen is also useful if soreness should occur.
Removable Appliances
On the day of the delivery of your appliance, please do not try and eat a meal that consists of a lot of chewing. Steak, and other meats of substance will need to wait for a couple of weeks. If a sore spot develops, please take the appliance out unless supervised to keep it in. For immediate dentures, please do not take out for the first 24 hours unless advised by the doctor to do so. Sore spots are normal, but don’t wear the appliance until you have an ulceration. Please call the office for a follow up appointment if needed.
Bleaching
If post treatment pain occurs, discontinue the use of the bleach for at least 1 day. If you need pain medication, ibuprofen will work best for dental pain. Resume bleaching as soon as the sensitivity goes away.
Ortho Placement-Braces
On the day of placement of the bands, wires, or even spacers, tenderness and soreness can occur. Rinse with warm salt water, or peroxyl, and use Tylenol as directed by the doctor. Do not use ibuprofen unless specifically directed. Please continue to brush and floss even though soreness is present.
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