FAQ

PRECAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY THE PATIENT DURING AND AFTER THE TREATMENT :

FOR REMOVABLE DENTURES :

• New dentures always require a period of adjustment.  First-time denture patients may require several weeks to get used to their new appliance.  Speech may be altered, and may require adaptation of the tongue and lips.

• For the first few days, you should wear your dentures for as long as possible, and chew soft food in small bites.  Remember, dentures do not have the same chewing efficiency as natural teeth and may affect your taste of food.   If your bite feels uneven after several days, we can adjust the way your teeth contact at follow-up visits.

• It is not unusual for sore spots to develop in isolated areas of the mouth.  These areas can be relieved easily at follow-up appointments.  If a severe sore spot develops which prevents wearing the denture and an appointment is made for adjustment, please wear the denture for 24 hours prior to the appointment.  This will greatly aid in locating the exact location of the area, and make adjustments significantly easier and more predictable.

• Proper cleaning of your denture is important to prevent stains and bacteria from accumulating on your appliance.  Since cleaning procedures differ for various types of appliances, please follow the directions given to you at your insertion appointment.

• Do not wear your complete or partial dentures to bed.  It is important to allow your gum tissues and jaw bones to rest in order to prevent further tissue irritation, infection, and future bone shrinkage.

• Over time, or with weight loss or gain, the supporting gum tissues and bone may change shape and size.  Periodic relines of your dentures may be necessary to ensure a retentive fit.  Denture teeth may wear or chip over time.  For this reason, an annual check of your tissues and dentures is recommended.

CROWN  &  BRIDGE  POST-OPERATIVE  INSTRUCTIONS

·         Numbness of your lip, tongue or palate may persist for several hours.  Do not chew gum,  eat, drink hot liquids or smoke until the anesthetic has worn off to prevent injury from accidentally biting or burning oneself.

          Soreness may occur at the tooth, the surrounding gum, the injection sites or the jaw joint.

• If these occur, apply moist  heat to the affected area  and take an analgesic/antiinflammatory, as prescribed by dentist.

• A temporary restoration made out of acrylic or thin metal has been placed on your tooth.  Avoid sticky or crunchy foods to avoid loosening or fracturing this restoration.

• Brush your temporary restoration daily.  When flossing, slide the floss out from between  the teeth instead of lifting it back out to avoid loosening the temporary.

• If your temporary restoration loosens, call the office to have it recemented. 

• When the final restoration has been placed, brush and floss accordingly.  Do not chew on  ice cubes or other hard objects or continue deleterious habits, such as biting on popsicle sticks, pens, etc.  Use a sensitive toothpaste with fluoride if thermal sensitivity occurs. 

• Also, if the bite feels unusual please call to have it checked.

• On occasion, damage to  the pulp of the tooth may occur following any restorative procedure due to a variety of reasons.  If this occurs, further treatment, such as root canal therapy, may be necessary.

• Regular dental examinations are important to maintain the function and appearance of one's crowns, bridges, etc.

• If you have any questions, please feel free to call the office.

Composite Fillings - Post-Treatment Instructions

1. Composite fillings set up hard right away. There is no waiting time to eat, other than allowing the anesthesia to wear off. Due to the strange feeling of the anesthetic, many patients will chew the inside of their lips, cheeks, or tongue which can cause serious damage.

2. Sensitivity to hot and cold is common. Duration for sensitivity is different for every tooth. Usually, the deeper the cavity, the more sensitive the tooth will be. If you feel the bite is not correctly balanced, please call for an appointment for a simple adjustment.

3. The gum tissue could have been irritated during the procedure and may be sore for a few days along with the anesthetic injection site.

4. The finished restoration may be contoured slightly different and have a different shape than the original tooth. Your tongue usually magnifies this small difference and will become adjusted to this in a few days.

POST OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS AFTER ROOT CANAL THERAPY:-

1. DO NOT eat or drink anything for the next half hour.  DO NOT try to feel around your tooth with your tongue.  You have a temporary filling in the tooth and it takes about half an hour to harden.

2. You need to have a permanent filling or a crown placed on your tooth within 1 MONTH of the root canal being completed.  It is essential for you to follow up with your general dentist on this.  If this is not done, the tooth is very likely to fracture or to develop new decay underneath the temporary filling which may cause your root canal to fail.  

3. DO NOT use the tooth to bite down on anything hard (peanuts, pretzels, ice, etc.) until the permanent filling/crown has been placed on the tooth.  Again, the tooth is prone to fracture and if you bite down on anything too hard or crunchy you may crack the tooth.

4. It is normal for the temporary filling to “divot” in with use.  It is very rare for it to fall out entirely.  If the temporary falls out you should contact us, or your general dentist as soon as possible.  If it happens when our office is closed, we recommend you purchase some temporary filling material from any pharmacy and place a dab in the tooth until you have an opportunity to see us at our office.

5. Some minor discomfort in the area is normal following the root canal.  It is normal for the tooth to be uncomfortable for 2-3 days after today’s treatment. 

 POST OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS AFTER EXTRACTION :-

• Keep the gauze pad placed over the surgical area with pressure applied by biting down until the bleeding stops. 

• Take your prescribed pain medication as soon as you begin to feel discomfort. This will usually coincide with the local anesthetic becoming less effective.

•  Do not suck on a straw, spit, or smoke.

• Restrict your activities the day of surgery, and resume normal activity when you feel comfortable.

• Place ice packs on the side of your face where surgery was performed. Refer to the section on swelling for an explanation.

• Vigorous mouth rinsing or touching the affected area following surgery should be avoided. This may initiate bleeding caused by dislodging the blood clot that has formed. Do not rinse your mouth for the first post-operative day or while there is bleeding. After the first day, use a warm salt water rinse every 4 hours and after meals to flush out particles of food and debris that may lodge in the area.

• Restrict your diet to liquids and soft foods which are comfortable for you to eat.