POST OP INSTRUCTIONS
It is normal to experience some soreness or sensitivity to temperature changes which usually goes away in a few days. If the gum is sore, rinse with warm, dilute salt water several times a day.
When anesthetic is used your lips, tongue, and cheek may be numb for several hours so use caution and avoid chewing until the numbness has completely worn off. Continue to brush and floss around the tooth or teeth to keep the gum healthy. Carefully pull the floss out sideways so it does not dislodge the temporary.
If the custom restoration feels high or your bite uneven after your appointment, call the office. Wear your night guard if one is recommended and do not use your teeth to open containers or bite down on hard foods. It is possible to fracture porcelain if you do not use proper caution with your new restorations.
When local anesthetic is used your lips, tongue and cheek may be numb for several hours so use caution and avoid chewing until the numbness is completely worn off. It is normal to have increased sensitivity to cold following scaling and root planning and it typically diminishes over time. Gum tissue may also heal at a higher level as pockets decrease exposing root surfaces. Use a product such as Sensodyne should help minimize sensitivity. We can also apply desensitizers during recall visits that will help with persistent sensitivity. Please let us know during your next appointment if additional treatment would be helpful.
Periodontal maintenance appointments are usually on a three-month basis and are important because they help us maintain and monitor your gingival health. Occasionally, if pocket reduction is not satisfactory, a referral to a periodontist for evaluation is recommended.
It is important to leave them out at night while you are sleeping to give the gums and supporting structures time to rest.
Clean the denture with a warm, soapy washcloth and rinse well before storing in a container at night. You may also soak the denture once a week with a denture cleaner. We will further clean it in an ultrasonic cleanser when you come in for an exam. Also rinse dentures or partials off after eating and thoroughly brush and floss around any remaining teeth.
It is important to return annually for a check up while wearing dentures. Over time changes will occur in the gum tissue and bone under the denture along with wear of the denture teeth. These changes will alter the denture not fit so relining or replacement may be necessary periodically.
When anesthetic is used your lips, tongue, and cheek may be numb for several hours so use caution and avoid chewing until the numbness has completely worn off.
It is usual for there to be some discomfort or achiness for several days after the appointment. Take pain medication or antibiotics as prescribed.
After the root canal is finished, a permanent filling and often a crown is placed to protect the tooth from fracturing.
After the blood clot forms it is important that you don’t smoke, suck through a straw, drink/eat hot foods or carbonated beverages for 24 hours. Limit yourself to calm activities for the first 24 hours to keep your blood pressure down and reduce bleeding.
After the tooth is extracted you may feel some pain and have some swelling. You can use an ice bag for 20 minutes once per hour for the first 24 hours.
Use pain medication only as directed and if antibiotics were prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time, even if the symptoms and signs of infection are gone.
Drink lots of fluids and plan on eating soft foods such as soup, scrambled eggs, milk shakes, and yogurt for two or three days.
Return as instructed for a post op visit if stiches were placed. Please call the office if there is continued bleeding, swelling increases two or three days after the extraction, or if pain not relieved with medication recommended or prescribed.
Touch ups with whitening strips or custom trays will prevent your teeth from darkening over time. You may purchase Tres-white strips at our office or have custom whitening trays fabricated and use gel also available at our office. Individuals with misaligned teeth usually get a better result with custom trays. We recommend touch ups the day after your six-month exam and cleaning when teeth are clean and stain free for maximum effectiveness.
Prevident 5000 is also helpful if teeth are sensitive to cold temperatures.
If this product is recommended apply a small dab to the cheek surface of the upper and lower teeth using a clean index finger or swab twice a day. Spit out excess and do not rinse or eat for 30 minutes. Saliva helps activate and flow the material around teeth.
- FILLINGS
It is normal to experience some soreness or sensitivity to temperature changes which usually goes away in a few days. If the gum is sore, rinse with warm, dilute salt water several times a day.
- CROWNS, BRIDGES, INLAYS AND ONLAYS, VENEERS
When anesthetic is used your lips, tongue, and cheek may be numb for several hours so use caution and avoid chewing until the numbness has completely worn off. Continue to brush and floss around the tooth or teeth to keep the gum healthy. Carefully pull the floss out sideways so it does not dislodge the temporary.
If the custom restoration feels high or your bite uneven after your appointment, call the office. Wear your night guard if one is recommended and do not use your teeth to open containers or bite down on hard foods. It is possible to fracture porcelain if you do not use proper caution with your new restorations.
- SCALING AND ROOT PLANING/ARESTIN
When local anesthetic is used your lips, tongue and cheek may be numb for several hours so use caution and avoid chewing until the numbness is completely worn off. It is normal to have increased sensitivity to cold following scaling and root planning and it typically diminishes over time. Gum tissue may also heal at a higher level as pockets decrease exposing root surfaces. Use a product such as Sensodyne should help minimize sensitivity. We can also apply desensitizers during recall visits that will help with persistent sensitivity. Please let us know during your next appointment if additional treatment would be helpful.
Periodontal maintenance appointments are usually on a three-month basis and are important because they help us maintain and monitor your gingival health. Occasionally, if pocket reduction is not satisfactory, a referral to a periodontist for evaluation is recommended.
- DENTURES AND PARTIAL DENTURES
It is important to leave them out at night while you are sleeping to give the gums and supporting structures time to rest.
Clean the denture with a warm, soapy washcloth and rinse well before storing in a container at night. You may also soak the denture once a week with a denture cleaner. We will further clean it in an ultrasonic cleanser when you come in for an exam. Also rinse dentures or partials off after eating and thoroughly brush and floss around any remaining teeth.
It is important to return annually for a check up while wearing dentures. Over time changes will occur in the gum tissue and bone under the denture along with wear of the denture teeth. These changes will alter the denture not fit so relining or replacement may be necessary periodically.
- ROOT CANAL
When anesthetic is used your lips, tongue, and cheek may be numb for several hours so use caution and avoid chewing until the numbness has completely worn off.
It is usual for there to be some discomfort or achiness for several days after the appointment. Take pain medication or antibiotics as prescribed.
After the root canal is finished, a permanent filling and often a crown is placed to protect the tooth from fracturing.
- EXTRACTIONS
After the blood clot forms it is important that you don’t smoke, suck through a straw, drink/eat hot foods or carbonated beverages for 24 hours. Limit yourself to calm activities for the first 24 hours to keep your blood pressure down and reduce bleeding.
After the tooth is extracted you may feel some pain and have some swelling. You can use an ice bag for 20 minutes once per hour for the first 24 hours.
Use pain medication only as directed and if antibiotics were prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time, even if the symptoms and signs of infection are gone.
Drink lots of fluids and plan on eating soft foods such as soup, scrambled eggs, milk shakes, and yogurt for two or three days.
Return as instructed for a post op visit if stiches were placed. Please call the office if there is continued bleeding, swelling increases two or three days after the extraction, or if pain not relieved with medication recommended or prescribed.
- WHITENING
Touch ups with whitening strips or custom trays will prevent your teeth from darkening over time. You may purchase Tres-white strips at our office or have custom whitening trays fabricated and use gel also available at our office. Individuals with misaligned teeth usually get a better result with custom trays. We recommend touch ups the day after your six-month exam and cleaning when teeth are clean and stain free for maximum effectiveness.
- PREVIDENT TOOTHPASTE
Prevident 5000 is also helpful if teeth are sensitive to cold temperatures.
- MI PASTE
If this product is recommended apply a small dab to the cheek surface of the upper and lower teeth using a clean index finger or swab twice a day. Spit out excess and do not rinse or eat for 30 minutes. Saliva helps activate and flow the material around teeth.