Fillings

Once we have restored your teeth with tooth-colored materials, these restorations will serve you well for several years. The resin (plastic) material used contains small “filler” particles of glass-like material for strength and wear resistance. They contain the finest and most up-to-date materials available today. However, you should be aware of the following information about your new restorations: As with natural teeth, avoid chewing excessively hard foods on the filled teeth (hard candy, ice, raw carrots, etc.) because the resin material can break under extreme forces.

Composite fillings set up hard right away. There is no waiting time to eat. Children should be observed until the anesthetic wears off. Due to the strange feeling of the anesthetic, many children will chew the inside of their lips, cheeks, or tongue which can cause serious damage.

Sensitivity to hot and cold is common for a few weeks following a dental restoration. 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.

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

The finished restoration may be contoured slightly different and have a different texture than the original tooth. Your tongue usually magnifies this small difference, but you will become accustomed to this in a few days.

 
Crowns

Temporary crowns are not strong. They may break or come off occasionally. If so, slip it back on the tooth with some Fixodent (Denture Adhesive) and call us for an appointment. Please do not leave the temporary out of your mouth because the teeth will move and the final restoration will not fit. Please do not floss around your temporary crown. The size, shape, and color of the temporary does not resemble the final restoration. Temporary restorations may leak saliva or food onto the tooth. Sensitivity to hot, cold, pressure, or sweets is not uncommon. If you feel the bite is not correctly balanced, please call for an appointment for a simple adjustment.

 
Permanent Crowns

After the final cementation of your restoration, it may take a few days to get used to the new crown or bridge. Hot and cold sensitivity is possible for a few weeks and occasionally lasts for several months. As with the temporary, if the bite doesn’t feel balanced please call us. Do not chew hard or sticky foods on the restoration for 24 hours from the time they were cemented.

The cement must set up during this time to have optimum strength. Proper brushing, flossing, and regular 6-month (minimal) cleanings are required to help you retain your final restoration. The only area that a crowned tooth can decay is at the edge of the crown at the gum line. Often, small problems that develop around the restorations can be found at an early stage and corrected easily, but waiting for a longer time may require redoing the entire restoration.

 Important Information on Crowns

Gold and Porcelain Crowns are the same for practically all cases except that porcelain can chip. Approximately 1 out of every 100 porcelain crowns chip and need replacement. This will never happen with gold crowns. This should be taken into consideration when choosing between a porcelain and gold crown.

 
Partial Dentures

Sore Spots- Usually, your mouth will have a few “sore spots” after wearing the denture/partial for 24 hours. These areas can be relieved with very little effort during your next appointment.

Chewing - The new bite may not feel completely comfortable for several weeks. We can adjust the contacting surfaces of your teeth after the dentures/partials have settled into place.

 Cleaning the Dentures/Partials and your Mouth:

Your denture/partials can be cleaned easily by using a denture brush and a mild toothpaste. Periodic denture soaks are also very useful (ex: Polident). We recommend leaving your partials out of your mouth at night and soaking in water.

 Dentures Only

Brush your gums with a regular toothbrush once per day to toughen and clean them. Partials only: Use special care to clean parts of the partial that contact any natural teeth. Both the partial and the natural teeth must be kept very clean on a daily basis to reduce the chance of new dental decay starting. We have done our best to provide you with well-fitted, functional, and esthetic dentures/partials. We feel confident that after a few weeks of becoming adjusted to the new dentures/partials, you will have years of satisfaction from them. Over time, your jawbone and gums shrink when there are teeth missing. When this occurs, your dentures/partials will feel loose and may require relining. Wearing ill-fitting dentures/partials for too long without refitting can cause severe bone loss and very serious oral disease. Please call our office if these symptoms occur.

 Night Guards

Purpose: The purpose of splint therapy is to help your lower jaw function more properly. Since the treatment you are to receive is mainly orthopedic in nature, we have fabricated an orthopedic appliance to help reposition your lower jaw. This appliance will help to relax any of your jaw muscles which are in spasm and to reduce any muscle pain. There are many situations that may cause your lower jaw to malfunction including accidental trauma, developmental defects, peculiar oral habits, naturally occurring malocclusion (poor bite), psychological stress, clenching or bruxing of teeth, and other problems.

 Rationale

You have received an acrylic bite splint (occlusal splint). This treatment has been used for many years to keep the teeth from contacting while you sleep and to allow the lower jaw to return to a comfortable hinge position without interference and guidance from the teeth. It is essential that you wear your night guard every night and you may also wear it during the day if you find yourself clenching or grinding your teeth. When it’s not in your mouth, make sure your splint is placed in water to avoid warping.

 Cleaning the Splint

Food will accumulate under the splint. After brushing and flossing your teeth very thoroughly, brush and rinse the inside and outside of the splint and return it to your mouth. Dental decay can be stimulated if you are not careful about the cleanliness of your mouth and splint. Fluoride containing rinses or gels are useful when placed in your splint once per day if you have a high dental decay rate. Using a dental soak cleanser (ex: Polident) on a monthly basis will help keep the splint fresh.

 Root Canal

Endodontic treatment can take 1, 2, or 3 appointments depending on the case. It is possible to experience any of the following symptoms after any of these appointments: sensitivity to hot and/or cold; sensitivity to pressure; possible swelling. If you experience swelling, please call our office immediately as additional medication may be required.

One common occurrence with a newly root-canalled tooth is for the tooth to feel high when you bite your teeth together. If this occurs it will cause your tooth to stay sensitive for a longer period of time. Please call us if your bite feels “high” as this problem is easily rectified with a simple bite adjustment.

A temporary filling may be used to temporarily seal the tooth between visits. Be gentle on the tooth while eating until the final restoration is placed. The gum tissue could have been irritated during the procedure and may be sore for a few days together with the anesthetic injection site. During endodontic treatment, the nerve, blood and nutrient supply to the tooth is removed. This will cause the tooth to become brittle and prone to fracturing which could result in the need to extract the tooth. A full coverage crown is recommended to prevent this from happening.

 Extractions

Bite on moist gauze for one hour and than change as required. DO NOT SMOKE OR DRINK THROUGH A STRAW. (This will avoid a dry socket) Avoid very hot or spicy foods for the next 24 hours. Avoid strenuous exercise or heavy lifting for the next 24 hours. Do not rinse for the first 24 hours and then on the next day start rinsing with warm salt water 2-3 times a day. For mild to moderate pain take Advil or Tylenol. For severe pain call the office for a stronger pain medication. Sutures will dissolve in 7-10 days or will be removed in 2 weeks. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to call the office.

 Visage Veneers

We place our veneers with the finest materials and techniques available today. However, you should be aware of the following information about your restorations: As with natural teeth, avoid chewing excessively hard foods on the veneered teeth (hard candy, ice, raw carrots, etc.) because the porcelain material can break under extreme forces. Proper brushing, flossing, and regular 6-month (minimal) cleanings are essential to the long-term stability and appearance of your veneers. Often, problems that may develop with the veneers can be found at an early stage and repaired easily, while waiting for a longer time may require redoing entire restorations. The gums may recede from the veneers, displaying discolored tooth structure underneath. This situation usually takes place after many years and requires veneer replacement.

 Scaling and Root Planing

Following scaling and root planing there are some temporary discomforts that you may experience. This instruction sheet will help to answer questions concerning these symptoms. If your mouth was anesthetized, it is best to wait until the anesthetic has worn off before eating. Also, it is important that you are careful not to bite your lip, cheek or tongue while it is numb.

DISCOMFORT
 You may experience some degree of gum soreness after scaling and root planning. It usually subsides within 24 hours. Most patients will find that their discomfort can be controlled with Aspirin, Advil or Tylenol. Also, rinsing with warm salt water (1/2 teaspoon salt mixed in 8 oz. warm water) up to six times per day can be soothing to the tissue.

SENSITIVITY
 Normal healing results in some tissue tightening and shrinkage and as a result you may experience some sensitivity to cold, hot or sweets. This is a common side effect of this procedure and usually diminishes with time. If you are experiencing sensitivity, the following may help:

Brush and floss to remove plaque bacteria that produce acids which contribute to tooth sensitivity. Brushing with desensitizing paste (such as Sensodyne or Crest Sensitivity) will help reduce the sensitivity. Special fluoride rinses may be prescribed. If sensitivity persists for more than 2 weeks, please call the office as there are desensitizing agents we can apply to decrease or eliminate the sensitivity in most cases.

 Oral Hygiene (Cleaning)

If the gum tissue is tender, it is important that you clean your teeth and gums gently but THOROUGHLY. This will probably require you to spend more time than usual. Running your toothbrush under hot water will soften the bristles and may help you to cleanse the gum line more comfortably and effectively.

As tissue tenderness diminishes, begin using your dental floss daily to remove the plaque from between the teeth. This will help promote healing and decrease sensitivity.

You may encounter some bleeding when brushing or flossing. It is important to continue gentle brushing and flossing even if bleeding occurs. As healing progresses, the bleeding will gradually reduce or disappear.