After Care

Following tooth preparation, sensitivity and tenderness of the tooth and surrounding gums is common for a few days. If anesthetic was used, avoid chewing, biting, or eating until all numbness wears off. Take extra care to avoid hard, chewy, or crunchy foods while you have a temporary. Once the final restoration is placed, mild sensitivity to cold foods and liquids is not unusual and should dissipate after a few weeks.

Do not eat or chew until any numbness from anesthesia has worn off. Please make sure not to bite your lips or tongue as doing so can cause serious injury to their soft tissue. Avoid sticky, crunchy, or hard foods for 24 hours.

Sensitivity to cold and heat, as well as any soreness, should not last more than a few days. Please call our office if you experience pain or discomfort for more than a few days.

Dentures and partials will often need several adjustments in order to fit comfortably. Dentures should be removed overnight or for at least six hours a day, to give your mouth and gums time to rest. Your denture needs to be cleaned daily with a denture cleaning solution and gentle brushing.

After removing complete dentures, it is important to gently brush the roof of your mouth, your tongue, and your gums.

You should visit our office at least twice a year to have your dentures or partial adjusted. Wearing ill-fitting dentures or partials without proper care and adjustment can lead to bone loss in the jaw and to oral disease.

You may experience sensitivity and soreness in the gums for several days after the procedure. Rinsing with warm salt water, (one teaspoon of salt dissolved in an eight ounce glass of water), several times a day can be helpful. Taking anti-inflammatory medication, as prescribed by our doctors, can also be effective.

If you were given local anesthesia during your procedure, please do not eat, bite or chew until all numbness has worn off.

Please follow the guidelines below and contact us with any questions.

• No eating or drinking for at least one hour following your treatment. If you were given a local anesthetic, then no eating, chewing, or biting until the numbness has fully worn off.
• It is normal to experience some discomfort for several days following root canal therapy. Take all medications as prescribed by our doctors.
• Until your root canal therapy is completed, please avoid directly chewing on that tooth. While it is unlikely that your temporary filling will fall out, please call our office if you feel that it is loose or that part of it has worn away.
• Once root canal therapy is completed, you will need to have a final crown or filling placed in the tooth. Any delay in returning to the office could result in the tooth fracturing or further decay.
• Please brush and floss as usual, unless instructed otherwise by our doctors. Follow any other instructions provided.
• While flare-ups are rare, they occur in about 5% of cases and may cause significant pain.  They generally only occur with teeth that are extremely irritated and/or infected or with teeth that have a history of prior treatment.  These sometimes occur randomly, even on patients that have had root canals done in the past without problems.  If you have a flare-up, you may experience moderate to severe pain, swelling, throbbing, or general discomfort; please contact our office right away.  You may be prescribed additional medication such as antibiotics, and/or you may be asked to come to the office for further treatment.

• Immediately following surgery, maintain pressure on the surgical area by biting down on the provided gauze pad or roll until the bleeding stops. A certain amount of bleeding is to be expected following a surgical procedure. Placing the gauze pad over the area and biting firmly will help prevent excessive bleeding. Replace the gauze as necessary until the bleeding stops.
• Please take all medicine prescribed by your doctor as directed.
• Swelling and bruising around the face, eyes, and surgical site is not uncommon although it may not appear until the day following the surgery and may become more noticeable two to three days following surgery. Applying a cold compress to the face near the extraction site will help minimize swelling. If using an ice pack, please do not apply ice directly to your skin but place a cloth between the ice and your skin at all times.  You may apply the cold compress for up to 20 minutes on and at least 20 minutes off as needed. After 36 hours the cold compress 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.
• For 24 hours following your surgery, do not suck on a straw, brush, rinse, spit, or smoke. Avoid hot and spicy foods as well as carbonated and alcoholic beverages.
• Restrict your activities on the day of your surgery. Avoid excessive work or play, and resume normal activity the following day as tolerated.
• After the first day, gently rinse with a warm salt water rinse, approximately one-half teaspoon of salt in an eight ounce glass of water, three times a day.
• During the first few days after surgery restrict your diet to liquids and soft foods such as soups, yogurt, juice, and smoothies.
• Most sutures placed will dissolve on their own in 7-10 days.
• 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 or visit the nearest emergency room.

Do

• Only use your fingers to place your aligners over your teeth.
• Keep aligners in at all times, except when eating, drinking (except water), brushing, and flossing.
• Wear each new aligner for two weeks, unless otherwise instructed.
• Clean each aligners daily with your toothbrush and lukewarm water.
• Place your aligners in the case we provided any time they are not being worn.

Don’t

• Don’t place your aligners in a napkin or tissue when out of your mouth. Many aligners have been accidentally thrown out this way!
• Don’t use your teeth to “bite” your aligners into place.
• Don’t use anything other than your fingers to remove your aligners.
• Don’t place your aligners anywhere your pets can reach them.
• Don’t use denture cleaner, bleach, alcohol, toothpaste, or hot/boiling water to clean your aligners.
• Don’t chew gum, smoke, eat, or drink (except water) while your aligners are in your mouth.

Just in Case

If you lose one of the composite attachments on your teeth before your next visit, please call our office.

If you lose one of your aligner trays, please wear the next tray if you have it. If you do not have the next tray, please wear the previous tray. It is extremely important to use a tray to keep teeth from shifting. Call our office to let us know which tray was lost so that we can determine if a replacement tray is needed. There will be a fee if replacement trays are required.

Teeth are more susceptible to staining for the first 48 hours following bleaching treatments. For the first 48 hours after whitening, it is best to avoid dark-colored foods or beverages that can stain your teeth. Avoid: Berries, cola or other dark sodas, red wine, coffee and tea, tobacco, and ketchup, soy or other dark sauces.

Follow the instructions given by our office, placing the bleaching gel in the center of each tooth position on the tray so that the gel will rest against the anterior surface of the teeth once it is placed in your mouth. Wear trays for the recommended time. Rinse the mouth, and gently remove any gel remaining on your teeth with a soft bristle toothbrush. Clean you trays daily by rinsing under lukewarm water and brushing gently with your toothbrush.

Your child may experience some tenderness for a day or two. If this persists, you may have them rinse with warm salt water 2-3 times per day.

Patients should not rinse, eat, or drink for at least 30 minutes to maximize the fluoride’s direct contact with the teeth.

Your child may notice that the tooth feels different because of the new sealant. The teeth and bite will feel normal again in a couple of days. Your child should avoid sticky, crunchy, or hard foods for 24 hours following the placement of the sealant.

Monitor your child closely for approximately two hours following the appointment. It is often wise to keep your child on a liquid or soft diet until the anesthetic has worn off. Remind your child to refrain from touching, biting, sucking, or playing with the numb area.

Make certain that your child is not eating or chewing while numb. Please make sure they do not bite their cheeks, lips, or tongue as doing so can cause injury to the soft tissue. Your child should avoid sticky, crunchy, or hard foods for 24 hours. It is normal for your child to experience some sensitivity or discomfort. If needed, please give your child any medications recommended by our doctors.

It is normal for your child to experience some discomfort following pulp therapy. Please follow all instructions for any medications that may have been prescribed by our doctors.

Please instruct your child not to rinse, spit, or drink through a straw. Have them keep their fingers and tongue away from the area. If unusual or sustained bleeding occurs, place slightly moistened cotton gauze firmly over the extraction area, and bite down or hold in place for thirty minutes. Repeat every thirty minutes until the area is no longer bleeding. Maintain a soft diet for a day or two or until the child feels comfortable eating normally again. Avoid strenuous exercise and physical activity for the rest of the day after the extraction. For discomfort, please give your child all medication as prescribed by our doctors. If sensitivity or discomfort continues for more than 24 hours, please contact our office.