Post Operative Care

After Anesthetic

When an anesthetic has been used, your lips, cheeks and tongue may be numb for several hours after the appointment. Avoid any chewing and hot beverages until the numbness has completely worn off. It is very easy to bite or burn affected tissue while you are numb.

After Composite Fillings

It is normal for a tooth to experience some hot, cold and pressure sensitivity after your appointment. Injection sites may also be tender or sore. Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen, taken as directed, work well to alleviate the tenderness.

You may chew with your composite filling as soon as the anesthetic completely wears off, since they are fully set when you leave the office.

If your bite feels uneven, if pressure sensitivity persists beyond a few weeks, if the sensitivity increases, or if you have any other concerns, please contact our office.

After Crowns/Bridges

Crowns and bridges usually take two appointments to complete. In the first visit, the teeth are prepared and molds of the mouth are taken. Temporary crowns or bridges are placed to protect the teeth while the custom restoration is being made. If an anesthetic was needed, please refrain from eating and drinking hot beverages until the numbness is completely worn off.

Occasionally a temporary crown may unseat. It is very important for the temporary to stay in place, as it will prevent other teeth from moving and compromising the fit of your final restoration. Although this is not an emergency, if your temporary comes off between appointments, please call our office during office hours so that we can determine if the temporary crown needs to be reseated.

To keep your temporaries in place, avoid eating sticky foods (gum), hard foods, and if possible, chew on the opposite side of your mouth. Do not floss around your temporary as it is more likely to become dislodged.

It is normal to experience some temperature and pressure sensitivity after each appointment. The sensitivity should subside a few weeks after placement of the final restoration. Over the counter pain relievers may also be used as directed.

If your bite feels uneven, if you have persistent pain, or if you have any other questions or concerns, please contact our office at 317‐896‐1986.

After Complete or Partial Dentures

Breaking in Period: Most new dentures and partials require a breaking in period before they become comfortable. This length of time varies with each individual patient depending upon their ability, determination, and perseverance to learn to use them. You must first learn to keep them in place, and then gradually start to use them.

What to expect: It is normal for you to feel awkward at first with your new denture or dentures. Your appearance has probably undergone a slight change, your speech may seem altered, and you may feel that your mouth is too full. Time, patience, and some training will soon bring about a relaxation of the facial muscles and begin to alleviate some of the apparent problems.

Sore Spots: Soreness from uneven pressure on the gums may develop at any time, and is not unusual, especially if you are wearing your first denture. Sore spots are best corrected if the dentures are worn at least 3‐6 hours before returning to the office for an adjustment appointment. This can allow a precise detection of the affected areas inside the denture, which are corrected by trimming. Call our office to schedule an appointment to adjust your denture or partial denture. Salt water rinses help minimize inflammation and relieve soreness.

Eating: Start with soft foods or those that are easy to chew. Take small bites and chew slowly, trying to overcome the difficulties as they arise. Keep food distributed evenly on both sides and chew on the back teeth. More difficult foods such as steak will require a gradual learning curve. Initially, it is recommended that you avoid chewing gum or attempt to eat sticky or chewy foods.

Speaking: Learning to talk with your new dentures in place requires some patience, practice and perseverance. Reading aloud is a very good way to learn to enunciate your words, especially those sounds or words that are not clear. Careful practice and repetition may help to hasten the process and produce a return to your normal, confident speech.

Hygiene: It is extremely important to clean your denture with a soft brush and a cleaning paste, or soapy water, after each meal. Food particles that are trapped under the denture can cause inflammation of the gums and sore spots. You should remove your dentures for at least 6 hours daily, usually when going to bed at night, to give your gun tissue a rest. During this time, the denture s can be cleansed and placed in a small tub of water to prevent them from drying out, which can cause the dentures to distort and not fit well. Because foods will stick to the soft tissue of your mouth, it is also beneficial to brush the roof of your mouth and your tongue daily. Massaging and stimulating these tissues will reduce the incidence of inflammation and sore spots.

Immediate Dentures: If your dentures were placed over new extraction sites, you should keep the dentures in for the first 24 hours, then you may wear the dentures at night for the first 3 days. This will help to promote clotting, and prevent irritations to those sites. You may then resume the directions previously described and remove the denture when sleeping.

After Tooth Extraction

It is important for a blood clot to form to stop the bleeding and begin the healing process. That is why we have you bite on a gauze pad for 10 minutes after the appointment. If the bleeding persists, place a new gauze pad over the extraction site and bite firmly for another 10 minutes. You may have to repeat this several times.

After the blood clot forms, it is important not to disturb or dislodge the clot as it aids healing. Do not rinse vigorously, suck on a straw, smoke or rinse with any mouth rinse for at 24 hours. After 24 hours you may start rinsing with warm salt water (1 tsp. salt to 1 cup of warm water) after each meal for several days to help the healing process.

After the tooth is extracted you may experience some pain and swelling. An ice pack applied to the area will keep swelling to a minimum. The swelling usually subsides after 48 hours. For pain take an over the counter pain reliever such as Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen as directed.

Drink a lot of fluids and eat nutritious soft food on the day of the extraction. You can eat normally as soon as you feel comfortable. If you have heavy bleeding, severe pain, or continued swelling for 2 to 3 days, please call our office at 317‐896‐1986.

After Root Canal Therapy

It is best to refrain from eating or drinking hot liquids for at least 2 hours and until the anesthesia has worn off to prevent possible injury to your soft tissue. This will also allow the temporary restorative material to harden.

You will most likely feel soreness in the area as well as pressure when you bite down. For this reason, you should avoid hard and chewy foods. Avoid eating on the treated side of your mouth for at least 24 hours. The soreness should decrease within a week.

Take any antibiotic medication prescribed to you by the doctor as this will eliminate any remaining infection in the tooth.

After 48 hours, if you notice increasing tenderness or swelling in the area surrounding the tooth, or a reaction to medication, please contact our office.

After Veneers

Remember that it will take time to adjust to the feel of your new bite. When the bite is altered or the position of the teeth is changed, it takes several days for you to recognize the new position and/or feel of your teeth. If you continue to detect any high spots or problems with your bite, call our office so we can schedule an adjustment appointment.

It is normal to experience some hot and cold sensitivity. Your gums may also be sore for a few days. Warm salt water rinses (1 teaspoon of salt in one cup of warm water) three times a day will reduce any irritation or bleeding. An over the counter pain reliever, used as directed, should ease any residual discomfort.

Daily brushing and flossing are a must for your new veneers. Daily plaque removal is critical for the long‐term success of your new smile, as are regular cleaning appointments.

Any food that can crack, chip or damage a natural tooth can do the same to your veneers. Avoid hard foods and substances (such as beer nuts, peanut brittle, ice, fingernails, or pencils) and sticky candies. Adjusting to the look and feel of your new smile may take time. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office.