General Guidelines for all procedures:
For at least 24 hours after your visit, please avoid chewing hard or sticky foods, such as hard candies, as these can loosen or damage dental work, and never chew ice. Be sure to carefully follow all instructions provided by our office and maintain excellent daily oral hygiene. If you have any questions or concerns, contact our office promptly so we can assist you. In the event of a serious or life-threatening emergency, call 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency room immediately.
Instructions Following Crowns and Bridges
After Tooth Preparation
- It’s normal to feel some sensitivity and tenderness in the treated tooth and surrounding gums for a day or two.
- If anesthesia was used, don’t chew or eat until the numbness fully wears off.
- Depending on your treatment plan, the final restoration may be placed the same day or at a later visit.
For Temporary Restorations
- Stick to soft foods and avoid anything brittle, chewy, or hard.
- Clean around the temporary restoration each day, being gentle when brushing and flossing.
- When flossing, pull the floss up and out rather than snapping it up to avoid loosening the temporary piece.
- If a temporary becomes loose or breaks, contact our office immediately.
After the Final Restoration Is Placed
- Avoid chewing hard or sticky foods for about 24 hours so the cement can fully set.
- Mild sensitivity to hot or cold is normal and should fade over the next few weeks. If it persists beyond six weeks, reach out to us.
Ongoing Care
- Brush after every meal and floss at least once daily before bedtime.
- Rinsing with water or mouthwash after brushing helps remove anything that was missed.
- Call the office if you experience pain or have questions about your restoration.
After Getting Dentures or Partial Dentures
- It’s common for dentures and partials to need multiple adjustments for a comfortable fit.
- To adapt more easily, try reading out loud for a few minutes each day.
- Remove your dentures at night or for at least six hours every day to give your gums a break.
- Clean your dentures thoroughly at night and store them in a cleansing solution.
- Food particles can become trapped under dentures, so lightly brush your tongue, roof of mouth, and gums once dentures are removed.
- Some discomfort may last for a few days after delivery.
- Brush remaining natural teeth and oral tissues after every meal and floss daily. If you wear full dentures, clean them every day.
- Visit our office yearly to have your dentures checked and adjusted to avoid issues like bone loss or irritation.
- If you have ongoing pain or any concerns with your dentures, contact us.
After Fillings:
- Do not eat or chew until the numbness from local anesthesia has completely worn off.
- If the patient is a child, closely supervise them to make sure they don’t chew while numb, which could injure soft tissues (lips, cheeks, tongue).
- Avoid sticky, crunchy, or hard foods for about 24 hours.
- Sensitivity to hot, cold, or soreness is normal for a few days.
- Contact our office if symptoms persist beyond a few days.
After Teeth Whitening
After Professional Bleaching:
- Your teeth are more susceptible to staining for the first 48 hours after whitening.
- Avoid dark food and drinks like coffee, tea, cola, red wine, berries, soy sauce, and tobacco — anything that can stain clothes can also stain teeth.
Following Custom Whitening Trays:
- Follow your specific instructions carefully.
- Place the bleaching gel only where indicated on the tray so it contacts the front surfaces of the teeth.
- Wear the trays for the recommended time.
- Rinse and gently brush your teeth after removing the trays to remove leftover gel.
- Clean your trays as instructed.
