Patient Education

After A Filling

Call If

  • Numbness is not gone by tomorrow morning
  • Bite does not feel right or you can create pain by clenching your teeth together
  • You have pain to hot, cold, or chewing food after 1 week

What You Can Expect

  • Numbness might last for 5 hours or more
  • Soreness around the tooth or injection site for a day or two (use Tylenol, Advil/Motrin, Aleve if you have no allergies or contraindications due to your medical treatment)

What Not To Do

  • Do not bite or nibble on your cheek, lip, or tongue while it is numb (PARENTS REMIND CHILDREN)

Crown or Bridge Preparation

Call If

  • Numbness is not gone by tomorrow morning
  • Bite feels “off” or you can create pain by clenching your teeth together
  • Provisional crown or bridge comes off or gets loose

What You Can Expect

  • Numbness might last for 5 or more hours
  • Crown or bridge may feel slightly different than your other teeth or dental work (not as smooth)
  • Soreness around tooth or injection site for 1 –2 days (use Tylenol, Advil/Motrin, Aleve if you have no allergies or contraindications due to your medical treatment)

What You Can Do

  • Eat any foods that you want except chewy foods
  • Continue to brush and floss to keep the gums healthy around the provisional crown or bridge

What Not To Do

  • Do not eat any chewy types of food including gum, caramels, etc. Do not pull off the provisional with floss (draw the floss out between your teeth, do not snap it back through the contact)

Crown or Bridge Delivery

Call If

  • Bite does not feel right or you can create pain by clenching your teeth together
  • You have pain to hot, cold, or chewing food after 1 week

What 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

Initial Dentures

What To Expect

  • Extreme difficulty talking and chewing
  • To learn how to use your new dentures will take many months
  • Next Appointments:
  1. In one week to remove sutures (if necessary) and to recheck the dentures
  2. 6 month re-evaluation of the denture and bone restoration, reline of denture may be needed.
  3. Dentures, whether new or replacements, will need many adjustment appointments.

What 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 product has the ADA seal on it
  • Brushing the inside where they rest on your gums is extremely important
  • Keep them out at night
  • Have a reline every 4 – 5 years as recommended by the American Dental Association

What Not To Do

  • Do not soak in chlorine or any other product except for ADA recommended products
  • Do not leave your dentures in while you sleep
  • Attempt to adjust or fix your own dentures.

YOU SHOULD SCHEDULE A YEARLY EXAM WITH THE DENTIST SO THE TISSUES OF YOUR MOUTH CAN BE INSPECTED FOR ANY SIGNS OF ORAL CANCER

Sealants

Call If

  • Your child complains that their bite does not feel right

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 the teeth
  • Us to recommend sealants only on those teeth that need them (done on baby teeth in special cases only)

What To Do

  • Cavities are caused by in-between meal sugar. Always buy sugar free pop and gum for your children and keep sports drinks to a minimum
  • Brush your children’s teeth for them (brush the gum lines on the outside and inside of the teeth)
  • Have other teeth sealed as they erupt as recommended by the doctor or hygienist

What Not To Do

  • Do not let infants/small children drink from sippy cups
  • Let your child drink sugar pop or chew sugar gum
  • Give sticky sugar foods as in-between meal treats including raisins

Extraction

Call If

  • Numbness is not gone by tomorrow morning
  • After one to two days, pain returns and is not helped by over the counter or prescription pain medication. This could be an indication that you have a dry socket.

What You Can 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 (use Tylenol, Advil/Motrin, Aleve if you have no allergies or contraindications due to your medical treatment)

What You Can Do

  • Keep gauze in place for ½ – 1 hour
  • Eat when the numbness is gone
  • Use a teabag instead of gauze if bleeding persists into the evening
  • Keep teabag in place for at least one hour before removing

What Not To Do

  • Do not smoke, drink through a straw, spit, or swish for 48 hours
  • Engage in any vigorous exercise or heavy lifting for 48 hours
  • Do not bite or nibble on your cheek, lip, or tongue while it is numb (Parents Remind Children)

Make healthy decisions about your smile