It is very normal to have a tired mouth and mild pain and discomfort after dental procedures. Mild OTC pain medications such as Motrin or Tylenol (every 6-8 hours) help you to feel comfortable while you are healing from the procedures). If the symptoms persist after a few days, contact our office at@ 847-392-4270.
If you engage in sports let us know so we can make a custom mouth-guard. If you grind your teeth at night, wear the night guard we have provided for you. Adjusting to the look and feel of your new smile will take time.
AFTER COMPOSITE FILLINGS (WHITE FILLINGS)
When an anesthetic has been used, your lips and tongue may be numb for a few hours after the appointment. Avoid any chewing and hot beverages until the numbness has completely worn off. It is very easy to bite or burn your tongue or lip while you are numb.
It is normal to experience some hot, cold & pressure sensitivity after your fillings appointment. Injection sites may also be sore.
You may chew with your composite fillings as soon as the anesthetic completely wears off, since they are fully set when you leave the office and do not have a waiting period.
AFTER COSMETIC DENTAL RECONSTRUCTION
It takes a few days to adjust to the bite of your new teeth and experience some hot and cold sensitivity in the interim. It takes little for the teeth to heal to a new procedure.
Don’t be concerned if your speech is affected for the first few days. You’ll quickly adapt and be speaking normally. You may notice increased salivation. This is because your brain is responding to the new size and shape of your teeth. This should subside to normal in about a week.
Daily brushing and flossing are a must for your new dental work. Daily plaque removal is critical for the long-term success of your new teeth, as are regular cleaning appointments.
Any food that can crack, chip or damage a natural tooth can do the same to your new teeth. Avoid hard foods and substances (such as beer nuts, peanut brittle, ice, fingernails, or pencils) and sticky and hard candies. Smoking will stain your new teeth. Minimize or avoid foods that stain such as coffee, red wine, tea and berries. If you should consume any of these use a straw to minimize contact with your teeth.
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AFTER CROWN AND BRIDGE APPOINTMENTS
Dental crowns and dental bridges usually take two or three appointments to complete. In the first visit, the teeth are prepared and molds of the mouth are taken. Temporary crowns or bridges are placed to protect the teeth while the custom restoration is being made. Since you will be anesthetized, the tongue, lips and roof of the mouth may be numb for a couple hours after the procedure. Please refrain from eating and drinking hot beverages until the numbness has completely worn off.
Occasionally a temporary crown may come off. If this happens and bring the temporary crown with you so we can re-cement it. It is very important for the temporary to stay in place, as it will prevent other teeth from shifting and compromising the fit of your final restoration.
To keep your temporaries in place, avoid eating sticky foods (gum), hard foods, and if possible, chew on the opposite side of your mouth. It is important to brush normally, but floss carefully and don’t pull up on the floss which may dislodge the temporary but pull the floss out from the side of the temporary crown.
It is normal to experience some temperature and pressure sensitivity after each appointment. The sensitivity should subside a few weeks after the placement of the final restoration. Mild pain medications may also be used as directed by our office.
AFTER TOOTH EXTRACTION
After an extraction, some pain and swelling is normal. An ice pack will aid in minimizing the swelling. The swelling usually subsides in 48-72 hours. It is important for a blood clot to form to stop the bleeding and begin the healing process. That’s why we ask you to bite on a gauze pad for 30-45 minutes after the appointment. If the bleeding or oozing still persists, place another gauze pad and bite firmly for another 30 minutes. You may have to do this several times.
It is important not to disturb or dislodge the clot as it is healing. Do not rinse vigorously, suck on straws, whistle smoke, drink alcohol or brush teeth next to the extraction site for 72 hours. Limit vigorous exercise for the next 24 hours as this will increase blood pressure and may cause more bleeding from the extraction site and delay the healing process.
Take medications as recommended or prescribed. You can eat normally as soon as you are comfortable.
It is important to resume your normal dental routine after 24 hours. This should include brushing and flossing your teeth at least once a day. This will speed healing and help keep your mouth fresh and clean.
If you continue to have heavy bleeding, severe pain, continued swelling for 2-3 days, or a reaction to the medication, call our office @ 847-392-4270.