Care After Fillings
Eating: Do not eat for 1 hour. For the next 24 hours, eat soft foods on the side of the mouth opposite to where the filling was done. To minimize sensitivity, avoid extremely hot and cold food and/or drinks.
Discomfort: It is not unusual to have some discomfort after fillings. For pain, take aspirin, and if you cannot take aspirin, use Tylenol.
Sensitivity: If your teeth are temperature sensitive, avoid extremely hot or cold foods and beverages. Temperature sensitivity is normal, and should be temporary.
High Spots: You should not feel pain while chewing after having the filling. Your bite may (or may not) feel uncomfortable if you have a “high spot” on your filling. A “high spot” may cause continued discomfort, prolonged temperature sensitivity, or soreness of the jaw muscles. If you suspect a high spot, or if here is pain while chewing, call our office to have the filling adjusted. Not doing so may result in tooth fracture or may result in needing a root canal treatment.
Local Anesthesia: Following local anesthesia, numbness will remain for a few hours. Be careful not to bite or chew the areas that are numb. Sometimes the injected areas may feel stiff or sore. If this occurs, warm liquids or moist hot pads are recommended to help with relief.
Home Care: Decay can still start on teeth that have been filled. Therefore, it is important to clean your teeth daily with a soft toothbrush and with floss. Also, reducing both the amount and frequency of your intake of sugar can further help to prevent decay.
About Your Crown or Bridge
Eating: Temporary Crown or bridge: Do not eat for 1 hour. Avoid chewing gum, hard foods, or sticky foods.
Final Crown or bridge: You may start eating with your new crown or bridge immediately.
Discomfort: It is normal to have some slight discomfort after preparation and impressions or after cementation of a crown or bridge. For pain, take aspirin, and if you cannot take aspirin, use Tylenol. If your gums are tender, rinse with warm salt water, dissolving ½ teaspoons of salt in a glass of warm water. Repeat the rinse every few hours for 2-3 days. If your discomfort is severe or if it persists, call our office.
Sensitivity: If your tooth is temperature sensitive, avoid extremely hot or cold foods and beverages. Temperature sensitivity is normal, and it should be temporary.
High Spots: You should not feel pain while chewing after having the filling. Your bite may (or may not) feel uncomfortable if you have a “high spot” on your filling. A “high spot” may cause continued discomfort, prolonged temperature sensitivity, or soreness of the jaw muscles. If you suspect a high spot, or if here is pain while chewing, call our office to have the temporary or crown adjusted. Not doing so may result in tooth fracture or may result in needing a root canal treatment.
Local Anesthesia: Following local anesthesia, numbness will remain for a few hours. Be careful not to bite or chew the areas that are numb. Sometimes the injected areas may feel stiff or sore. If this occurs, warm liquids or moist hot pads are recommended to help with relief.
Home Care:
Temporary Crown or Bridge: Brush normally with a soft toothbrush as you would brush a normal tooth. Be careful with electric toothbrushes as they can loosen up the temporaries. Using manual tooth brush is best while temporary it on. When you floss, place the floss through the contact but do not remove the floss back out through the contact area; you may dislodge the temporary crown or bridge, instead pull through.
Final Crown or Bridge: Though crowns and bridges are made to fit very accurately, decay can still start on teeth that are crowned. Therefore, it is important that you clean your teeth daily with brushing and flossing. Also, reducing both the amount and frequency of your intake of sugar can further help to prevent decay.
Porcelain Crowns: You may be getting a porcelain crown or bridge because a natural appearance your primary concern. With porcelain, it is important that you avoid biting on things such as ice, corn nuts, bone, or hard candies because such hard objects can cause a crack in porcelain. Fortunately, cracked or broken porcelain is a rare occurrence. It is our policy to replace or repair, free of charge to you, any broken porcelain crown or bridge placed by our office if the crown is presented in our office within one year of cementation. After one year, there will be a charge.
If you have any questions about your treatment, please do not hesitate to call our office.
CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF YOU TMJ ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE NTI OR TRADITIONAL
The TMJ splint is to be worn mainly while asleep or during the day as needed. It should be taken out to eat and clean. A mild hand soap or dish soap is to be use to scrub and wash your splint. A protective plastic box is provided.
Keep your teeth and appliance clean.
Store your appliance dry.
The appliance may change color or may end up having small perforations on the biting surface. Neither of these conditions effect the usefulness of the appliance.
A fully cooperative patient is usually almost completely unaware of the appliance in their mouth in about a one to two week period.
The NTI appliance covers only your front teeth, therefore, the back teeth don’t meet. When the appliance is removed in the mornings your bite may “feel off”, but should feel normal again in a few hours. If the bite continues to “feel off",or you experience any form of pain (headaches, teeth hurting or joint pain), stop wearing it and call us. Some adjustments may be needed or you may need to go to a full arch appliance.
The mechanical factors that have contributed to your present problem have been present for many years. If the tissues of your joint, nerves and muscles have not undergone irreversible damage, you should experience an acceptable degree of relief from your present discomfort.
Your splint is made of plastic and will last from 3 months to one year depending upon the use and abuse. The splint is designed to fit snug, “like a glove”.
REMEMBER: “Lips together, teeth apart”. Teeth touch the appliance only in swallowing. (6-16 min a day).
BE SURE TO CALL OUR OFFICE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
Instructions Following Oral Surgery
Bleeding: Remember that pressure stops bleeding. Extra gauze will be given to you to bite on following the extraction to control the bleeding. Keep firm pressure on the site for 30-42 minutes. The gauze may be changed carefully when soaked. After removal of the gauze, slight oozing may be present. That is normal. Should the site continue to bleed heavily and continuously, bite on more gauze for another 30 minutes. If bleeding persists, please call the office.
Pain: Slight discomfort and soreness are to be expected after an extraction. Over the counter pain medications like Aspirin, Tylenol, Motrin, and Aleve may be taken. A prescription will be given for more complicated procedures.
Swelling: Swelling and bruising are common after surgery. Apply icepacks to the area for 10 minutes on then 10 minutes off. This will keep swelling to a minimum. A warm washcloth may be applied after 48 hours to help with swelling.
Muscle and Joint Soreness: Difficulty in opening the mouth is common after third molar extractions. Apply ice packs (not heat packs) for 10 minutes on and 10 minutes off.
Diet: It is important to maintain good nutrition following surgery. A soft diet is recommended for the next couple of days after the extraction.
Infection: If swelling and discomfort worsens after the 4thday following the surgery along with a foul taste, fever, and difficulty in swallowing, contact the office immediately.
Mouth Care:
- Do not drink through a straw or rinse for 48 hours following surgery as this may dislodge the blood clot. A very painful infection in the bone known as a “Dry Socket” may occur if the blood clot is dislodged.
- NO SMOKING for at least 72 hours after the surgery to avoid an infection. Smoking also results in poor healing at the site of the surgery.
- Avoid strenuous activity like heavy lifting and sports. This may cause heavy bleeding and potentially an infection.
OPALESCENCE BLEACHING INSTUCTIONS
BLEACHING PRECAUSIONS:
Do not use household bleach to whiten teeth.
Pregnant women should not bleach
If you have any questions regarding the appropriate use of this product, including how long it will take to bleach your teeth, please consult our dentist as soon as possible.
Do not use tobacco products or eat while bleaching.
White spots on the enamel or that appear during bleaching may blend during continued bleaching process.
Teeth are naturally darker along the gum line. These areas may require more time to lighten than the rest of the tooth surface and usually remain slightly darker.
GENERAL PRECAUTIONS:
- A small percentage of patients experience sensitivity with bleaching. Should this occur, remove the tray and contact your dentist.
- Foods and juices high in citric acid can cause sensitivity to the teeth.
- Some patients have noticed temporary sensitivity.
Use no more than 1/3 to 1/2 of the syringe per tray.
Brush teeth before inserting tray.
Lightly tap tray to adapt sides to teeth and remove excess.
Unless directed otherwise wear:
Opalescence 10% for 8–10 hours or overnight.
Opalescence 15% for 4–6 hours
Opalescence 20% for 2–4 hours,
Opalescence 35% for 30 minutes.