After a filling
What to expect:
- Numbness might last for 5 hours or more
- Soreness around the tooth or injection site for a day or two
Call the office if:
- Numbness is not gone by tomorrow morning
- You have sensitivity to hot, cold, or chewing/biting after 1 week
- The filling has created a food trap (you have to floss after meals)
What you can do:
- Eat immediately (be cautious not to bite your lip/cheek/tongue)
What you cannot do:
- Do not bite/nibble on your cheek/lip/tongue while it’s still numb (PARENTS REMIND CHILDREN)
Crown/Bridge Preparation
What to expect:
- Numbness might last for 5 hours or more
- Soreness around tooth or injection site for a day or two
- Crown or bridge may feel slightly different than your other teeth/dental work (not as smooth)
Call the office if:
- Numbness is not gone by tomorrow morning
- Bite feels “off” or you can create pain by clenching your teeth together
- Provisional crown/bridge comes off or gets loose
What you can do:
- Eat any foods you want except chewy foods
- Continue to brush and floss to keep the gums healthy
What you cannot do:
- Do not eat any chewy types of foods including gum, caramels, taffy, etc.
- Do not pull off the provisional with floss, draw the floss out between your teeth, don’t snap it back through the contact)
Crown/Bridge Delivery
Call the office if:
- Bite does not feel right or you can create pain by clenching your teeth together
- You have sensitivity to hot, cold, or hewing/biting after 1 week
- The crown/bridge has created a food trap (you have to floss after meals)
What you to do:
- Brush & floss at the gum line to keep cavities away from the gum line and to keep your gums healthy
- Feel free to eat any food that you normally eat
Immediate Dentures
What to expect:
- Extreme difficulty talking and chewing.
- It will take many months to learn to use your new dentures
- Next dental appointments:
- Tomorrow to check the fit, bite and healing (leave your dentures in tonight)
- In one week remove sutures (if necessary) and recheck the dentures
- In two weeks to place temporary reline material to tighten up the dentures (no charge)
- In 6 months to do a permanent reline material (see your treatment plan for estimated costs for this service)
- All temporary relines and adjustments between the delivery date and the permanent reline are covered in the cost of your dentures, as well as adjustments one month following the permanent reline)
What you to do (denture care):
- Care for your denture as directed by brushing with toothpaste and a denture brush
- Using an over the counter soak is OK if the product has the ADA seal on it
- Brushing the inside of the denture where it rests on your gums is extremely important
- Take them out at night (except for the first night) to allow the gum tissues to breathe
- After the temporary reline, call if you have a sore spot or your dentures get loose
- Have a reline every 4-5 years as recommended by the ADA
- You should schedule a yearly exam with the dentist so the tissues of your mouth can be inspected for any signs of oral cancer
What you cannot do:
- Do not soak in chlorine or any other product except ADA recommended products
- Do not leave your dentures in while you sleep
- Attempt to adjust/fix your own dentures
Replacement of Dentures
What to expect:
- The new denture will feel a lot different than your old one
- At first you will not be able to chew or speak as well with your new denture as you did with your old one
- It will take some time to get used to your new dentures
Call the office if:
- You have any sore spots, even small ones
Reline of Complete/Partial Dentures
What to expect:
- Immediately after the impression, you will be without your denture for up to 2 days
- Your denture will fit more tightly and have less food get caught underneath of it
- The pink part of the denture will feel thicker
- One or more sore spots may develop (this could happen weeks after delivery)
Call the office if:
- You have any sore spots, even small ones
Sealants
What to expect:
- A reduced chance that your child will get a cavity on the biting surface of their tooth
- The same chance for cavities on the outside, inside, and in-between teeth
- Our office to maintain the sealants (repair or replace as necessary) for the lifetime of the patient
- Our staff to recommend sealants only on those teeth that need them (done on baby teeth in special cases only)
Call the office if:
- Your child complains that their bite does not feel right after 1 week.
What you to do:
- Cavities are caused by in-between meal exposure to sugar. Always buy sugar-free pop and chewing gum for your children. Keep sports drinks to a minimum.
- Brush your children’s teeth for them until about 8-10 years when they have the dexterity to do it on their own. Brush the gum lines on the outside and inside of the teeth.
- Have other teeth sealed as they erupt as recommended by the dentist/hygienist
What you not to do:
- Do not let infants/small children drink from sippy cups (only water)
- Let your child drink sugar pop or chew sugar gum
- Give sticky sugar foods as in-between meal treats
Extraction
What to expect:
- Numbness might last for 5 hours or more
- Amber colored oozing for 1-2 days
- Soreness around the tooth or injection site for a day or two
Call the office if:
- Numbness is not gone by tomorrow morning
- Bleeding does not stop in 1-2 hours (amber colored oozing is not bleeding and is to be expected)
- After 1-2 days, if pain returns and is not resolved by over the counter/prescription medication. This could be an indication that you have a dry socket.
What you can do:
- Keep gauze in place for 30-60 minutes
- Eat when the numbness is gone
- Use a teabag instead of gauze if bleeding persists into the evening. Keep in place for 1 hour before removing.
What you not to do:
- Do not smoke, drink through a straw, spit, or swish for 24 hours
- Engage in any vigorous exercise or heavy lifting for 24 hours
- Do not bite or nibble on your cheek/lip/tongue while its numb (PARENTS REMIND CHILDREN)