Post-Operative Dental Instructions
Post Operative Instructions
Composite/Crown Restorations
Here are some important things you need to know about your newly placed restoration. If any of your questions cannot be answered from these instructions, please feel free to contact us and we will be more than happy to answer your questions. (760) 371-4800 You may be sore from the anesthetic that Dr. Danielsson administered. This can last for a few days. To help with soreness, you may place a warm compress, such as a warm washcloth on the jaw muscle. Also, massage the area and begin opening and closing exercises to work out the muscle.
When you leave our office, you may still be experiencing the effects of the anesthetic. It is very important to avoid doing any aggressive chewing, such as tough meats and sandwiches. You should also avoid hot liquids. When your mouth is numb, it is possible that when you try to eat or talk you could bite your cheek or tongue and not even know until the effects have worn off. This can result in a painful sore in your mouth.
Sometimes when performing treatment, a band may be used on the tooth, or tissue may have been pushed on, this can result in minor soreness. We recommend warm salt-water rinses to help with the healing process. Rinses should be done 3 times a day for the next 48 hours. (1 tsp salt to an 8 oz glass of water). Try to make the water as warm as you can stand it.
Cold sensitivity is a common symptom some patients may experience after treatment. If you are slightly sensitive to cold and symptoms subside right away, this is normal. Abnormal symptoms consist of ANY kind of hot sensitivity, long lasting cold sensitivity (anything lasting longer than 3-5 seconds once the stimulus is removed) or any kind of aching /throbbing pain.If any of these symptoms occur, please contact us as soon as possible so we are able to diagnose the problem.
At the end of your appointment, we check your bite to be sure that your teeth are touching normally. Sometimes this may be difficult, especially if you are numb. If you notice your bite is not normal after the anesthetic wears off, be sure to let us know right away. We will need to make further adjustments, which will only take a few minutes. This problem, if not resolved right away, can cause problems in other areas of your mouth, such as shifting your bite. The most common reason why patients do not make us aware of this is that they believe that they just need to get used to their new restoration. This is not the case! Please let us know if adjustments are necessary.
Deep Cleaning/Antibiotic Placement
Here are some important things you need to know about your deep cleaning (scaling/root planning) or antibiotics that may have been placed. These instructions are here for you to refer back to and help answer any questions you may have regarding your treatment. If any of your questions cannot be answered from these instructions, please feel free to contact us, and we will be more than happy to answer them.
Anesthetic--If you were anesthetized, you may be sore from the injections. You can take over-the-counter Motrin, Advil, Tylenol, or whatever you take for a headache. If your jaws are sore or tired, you can place a warm compress, such as a washcloth, and begin massaging the area. You can also do some opening and closing exercises.
You may also be numb for the next few hours. You may eat if you need to, however, be extremely careful when chewing, so as not to bit your lip, cheek or tongue. This can be very painful when you regain feeling and can even cause a large sore in your mouth. If you are going to eat, avoid hot, hard, or crunchy foods. Try to stick with soft foods (i.e., mac-n-cheese, mashed potatoes, or milkshakes….yummy!)
Sensitivity—You may experience some cold sensitivity following your cleaning. This is because we have removed all of the tartar/calculus that was on the root surfaces of your teeth. You now have exposed dentinal tubules, which can cause some of this sensitivity. This may subside in a few days; however, in some cases it will not. If the latter is the case, we have some prescription toothpaste (Prevident) that we can give you to help seal up the tubules to decrease the sensitivity. Please let us know immediately if you need this toothpaste, as we carry it in the office.
Salt Water Rinses—The gum tissue may be irritated or sore with this type of cleaning due the depth of the pockets. We recommend warm salt-water rinses to help with the healing process. Rinses should be done 3 times a day for the next 48 hours. Use 1 tsp. salt in an 8oz. warm glass of water. Try to make the water as warm as you can stand it (hot chocolate or hot coffee temp.)
Arrestin/Antibiotic Placement—If you are using a Waterpik, do not use it in the area where the antibiotic was placed for 1 week. This is so the medicine can dissolve properly and so it is not washed away. You may brush and floss this area in 24 hours.