Post-Op Instructions

After any dental procedure, there are care and maintenance steps you can take to promote faster healing and ensure the procedure is a success.

Night Guard Splint

Soften the appliance under warm tap water prior to placement.
Never allow the appliance near high temperatures nor allow it ti dehydrate for more than 24 hours.
Keep your appliance in the case provided, and place a small piece of wet paper towel in the case to keep it moist.
Harden the appliance under cold tap water prior to cleaning.Use dishwashing soap, and once a week soak in polident and water.
Do not use toothpaste on the appliance, since toothpaste may contain abrasives.
In normal use,the appearance of the resilient portion of the appliance may vary from crystal clear to mildly opaque.
If you notice any changes in your symptoms, appearance of your mouth or gums, contact your dentist.
Removal of the appliance is best accomplished by using equal pressure on both sides of the mouth. This will minimize the chance of damage to the resilient portion of the appliance.

Oral Sedation

Please review these instructions before your sedation appointment:

If there has been any change in your health, contact us prior to your appointment.
Please arrange to have someone accompany you to and from your appointment.
Nothing to eat for six hours before your appointment.
Clear liquids are permitted up to two hours prior to your appointment.
Wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing.
Visit bathroom prior to being seated for your dental appointment.
Do not drive or operate any machinery for 24 hours after your appointment, as drowsiness/dizziness may persist.
Stay home, and refrain from making any important decisions.
Do not travel by public transportation.
Do not drink alcohol for 24 hours after appointment.
Avoid hot/cold beverages as the freezing may last for 2-4 hours, be careful not to bite your lip or tongue.
Please have someone at home with you the first few hours after your appointment.

Teeth Whitening

The 48 hours following your whitening appointment are important in enhancing and maximizing your whitening results for a long lasting, bright and healthy smile. How long your results will last is variable, and depends greatly on your habits. You can prevent or manage rebound with a combination of meticulous oral hygiene, avoiding foods that stain, using a whitening toothpaste, and touching up with a take-home bleaching kit.

Avoid dark staining foods (anything that would stain a white shirt or your table cloth, such as red wine, cola, coffee or tea). Also avoid all berries (cherries, blueberries, strawberries), tobacco products, red sauces, mustard, ketchup and soy sauce.
Sensitivity following whitening is very common. Your teeth may be especially sensitive to cold air and drinks. This will gradually subside after a couple days. Using Sensodyne toothpaste, and taking Advil or Tylenol will help.
If you are more prone to tooth sensitivity, you may choose to use anti-sensitivity toothpaste before and after whitening.
If your regular home care contains Chlorhexidine rinse, wait 48 hours before continuing.
Avoid acidic fruit juices until sensitivity subsides.

Denture Delivery

You will experience some discomfort with any new denture for a few days. All new dentures need several adjustments to completely and comfortably fit your mouth.
You should take the dentures out every night and keep them in a clean container containing water or denture cleaning solution. Your gums need rest and to be without the dentures every day for a period of time.
Clean dentures thoroughly with brush and water before putting them back in your mouth.
It may be difficult to talk normally with the new denture for a few days. One way to practice is to read a book or newspaper out loud for a period of time every day. Your tongue and muscles will get used to the new denture and you will talk normally very soon.
Call our office if you are experiencing pain, discomfort or if you have any questions.

Implant Surgery

You may experience some pain, swelling and bleeding after the surgery.
Take all prescribed medications according to the doctor’s instructions.
After the surgery, for the remainder of the day, apply an ice bag on your face over the surgical site for 10 minutes on and 5 minutes off.
Keep your next appointment, for removal of sutures and follow up checks.
Do not raise your lips with your fingers to inspect the treated area.
Do not brush teeth near the surgical site. Brush teeth in the rest of your mouth.
There is often a temporary loss of feeling in the operated area and the tooth may feel loose.
Do not smoke, spit or use a straw on the day of the surgery (avoid smoking for a few days after the surgery).
Should any difficulties occur, do not hesitate to call our office any time. In case of an emergency call 911.

Braces

You may experience some pressure and discomfort on your teeth.
Be gentle with braces and avoid chewing hard and/or sticky food.
Brushing and flossing around braces are sometimes challenging but very important.
Call our office if you have any questions.

Scaling and Root Planing

You may experience some cold and heat sensitivity (especially after deep cleaning).
If you have received anesthesia do not eat anything until the numbness has worn off.
Continue your regular brushing and flossing.
Some bleeding for a day or two after cleaning is normal, but if you experience any excessive bleeding call our office.
Call our office if you are in pain or if you have any questions.

Root Canal Treatment

You may experience moderate pain and sensitivity to pressure on your tooth. Also, you may feel gum soreness for few days after your treatment. The healing process may take several days but the pain and discomfort should subside gradually.
Take any medication that was prescribed for you according to instructions.
Usually a temporary filling has been placed on your tooth, do not bite on the tooth for one hour and while you are numb. Also, until the permanent restoration is placed, be very gentle with the tooth. Try to chew on the opposite side of your mouth.
Continue brushing and flossing.
Follow up with the placement of your permanent restoration as you have been advised. Any unnecessary delay on placement of final restoration may damage the tooth permanently.
Call our office if you are in severe pain or experience swelling or if you have any questions.

Crowns and Bridges (Inlays and Onlays)

Crowns and bridges usually take 2 or 3 appointments to complete. On the first appointment the tooth/teeth are prepared and impressions are taken and a temporary crown is placed on your tooth/teeth.
You may experience sensitivity, gum soreness and slight discomfort. It should subside after the placement of permanent crown.
Whenever anesthesia is used, avoid chewing on your teeth until the numbness has worn off.
Temporary crowns are usually made of plastic based material or soft metal, and are placed to protect teeth and keep other teeth from moving. A temporary crown may break if too much pressure is placed on it. The crown also may come off. If it does, save the crown and call our office. To avoid losing your temporary crown, avoid chewing on sticky and hard food (chewing gum, ice). Try to chew on the opposite side of your mouth as much as possible.
After the permanent restoration is placed you may feel slight pressure for a few days. Also, the bite may feel different for a day or two. But if the bite feels uneven or you feel discomfort on chewing on the tooth after 2-3 days call our office. Delaying the necessary adjustments may damage the tooth permanently.
Continue your normal brushing but be careful while flossing around the temporaries (remove the floss gently from the side).
Call our office if you are in pain or if you have any questions

Fillings

Do not eat on your new filling for one hour and until your numbness is gone.
If you are supervising children who have had fillings done, make sure they don’t bite on their numb lips or tongue (it can cause serious injury to their soft tissue).
Do not bite hard or chew on silver amalgam fillings for 24 hours.
You may experience cold and heat sensitivity and some soreness on your gum, this usually subsides in few days.
Call our office if you experience pain or discomfort for more than a few days after the fillings, or if you have any questions.

Extraction

Pressure should be placed on the gauze pad that has been placed on the extraction site for one hour. If the bleeding continues, new gauze should be placed and pressed on for another 45 minutes.
If you are supervising children who have had an extraction done, make sure they don’t bite on their numb lips or tongue (it can cause serious injury to their soft tissue).
Avoid eating or drinking anything hot on the day of your extraction. Also, do not rinse your mouth, do not use a straw for drinking. Do not spit and do not drink carbonated beverages. Do not brush on the day of the surgery – you can (gently) resume your brushing and flossing the next day.
You may experience some pain, bruising around your lips and/or some swelling, especially after extraction of impacted wisdom teeth. Ice bag application and medication prescribed for you will help to minimize your discomfort.
Please take all the medication you have received based on the instructions given to you.
During the first 2-3 days after the surgery a diet of soft food and liquids is recommended (soup, yogurt, milk shake and juice).
For more complex surgical procedures, including impacted wisdom tooth extraction, implant surgical procedures, etc., you will receive an ice wrap which should be worn for the rest of the day and until you go to bed on the day of surgery only (10 minutes on and 5 minutes off). Individual instructions for various surgical treatments will have some unique directions which will be supplied to you at the time of your treatment.
Call our office if you experience excessive bleeding, severe pain or swelling or if you have any questions or concerns. In case of serious emergencies call 911.