Post Operative Care

Procedures

If you just had a crown or filling appointment completed today, here is what you can expect and what to do if you have discomfort.

  • If the doctor has numbed you for your procedure, your numbing should wear off in 2-3 hours. 
  • After your numbing has worn off, you will be able to feel your bite more clearly.  If your crown or your filling is a little bit too high, you may have discomfort when chewing on that tooth.  Let us know and we can do some minor adjustments to make it more comfortable.
  • Sometimes after fillings, particularly ones with large cavities, the tooth may be more sensitive to cold temperatures.  This typically improves with time and the help of a sensitivity toothpaste such as Sensodyne.
  • If you are experiencing tooth pain that does not go away, wakes you up when sleeping at night, and requires pain medications please let the doctor know and we will address it as soon as possible.
  • If you have a temporary crown, please do not chew sticky foods or hard foods as that may damage or dislodge your temporary crown.  Be gentle when flossing around a temporary crown.  If the temporary crown is dislodged, do not throw out the crown.  Please call the office as soon as you can and we will reinsert the crown for you.   The temporary crown is important for protecting your tooth and keeping your teeth from shifting.
  • Do not use gorilla glue or any at home adhesive to recement any crown that has dislodged!

If you had a root canal appointment today, here is what you can expect and what to do if you have discomfort.​

  • Your numbing should wear off in 2-3 hours. 
  • You can expect some post operative pain in the tooth treated for the root canal.  An antibiotic is typically not necessary unless the doctor prescribes it for you after your visit. If you have no allergies to pain medications, you may take an ibuprofen or tylenol as needed to manage your pain.  Please follow maximum daily dosage limits written on the medication labels.
  • Do not chew or bite on the tooth that has a root canal as it will cause pain.  Root canal treated teeth are weaker and more prone to breaking.  Please baby the tooth until you can have it protected with a crown.
  • Return for post root canal follow-up appointments to build up and protect the tooth permanently with a crown.

If you had a surgical appointment today, here is what you can expect and what to do if you have discomfort.

  • The most important thing post surgery is to stop bleeding. ​No rinsing, no spitting, no drinking with a straw, no gargling for 24 hours post surgery.
  • Please refrain from eating or drinking anything too hot or spicy as it will irritate the surgical site.
  • Depending on your surgical procedure, you may experience significant post operative pain after your numbing has worn off.
  • An antibiotic is typically not necessary unless the doctor prescribes it for you after your visit. If you have no allergies to pain medications, you may take an ibuprofen and tylenol as needed to manage your pain.  Please follow maximum daily dosage limits written on the medication labels.
  • You may experience some swelling immediately or after 2-3 days post surgical procedure.  Use a cold compress as directed by your doctor to control the swelling.
  • Keep your follow up post surgical appointments so that our doctors can monitor how you are healing.
    Please call the office if you have additional questions and/or concerns.

If you just had a denture delivery appointment completed today, here is what you can expect and what to do if you have discomfort:

  • Wear your denture as much as possible.  New dentures are like new shoes in that they have to be broken in.  Your body will respond and adapt to the new denture as you use it.
  • Sore spots may develop in certain areas that are rubbing too much.  Your doctor will schedule an appointment to adjust any pressure spots that develop.
  • Do not sleep with your dentures as this promotes fungal infection.
  • Clean your teeth and denture thoroughly after eating and before you sleep to prevent tooth decay
  • Use a denture cleaning product such as Efferdent or Polident periodically to disinfect your dentures