Post Op Instruction

Post op instruction
a. After Tooth extraction/ Surgery:
Proper Care of Blood Clot: For three (3) hours, maintain gentle pressure by biting on the gauze sponge that has been placed over the surgical area. If needed, replace gauze with another as provided.
Do Not Rinse or use a mouthwash for at least 24 hours, but brush carefully. After 24 hours, rinse gently with warm salt water, using a concentration of 1/4 teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of warm water, two to three (2-3) times daily. The use of commercial mouthwashes during the healing period is not encouraged.
Pain: Following dental surgery, discomfort should be controlled by the medication prescribed. Follow the directions. If pain persists, call us at the office. Your comfort is important to us.
Toothbrush: Use it carefully but thoroughly. A clean mouth heals faster.
Eating, Drinking and Smoking: Avoid alcoholic beverages and smoking until healing is well established. Adequate food and fluid intake following surgery is important. Do not consume liquids through a straw. If your regular diet is too difficult, you may supplement it with liquids. Should you find yourself unable to chew solid foods of any kind, call us.
Avoid All Excessive Activity: Do not do things that will raise your blood pressure. Go home, lie down and rest. Do not disturb (pick at) the surgical area.
Sutures: If sutures were used in your treatment, be sure to return for their removal on the appointment date given.

b. After root canal treatment (RCT)
Root canal treatment can take from one to three appointments to complete. Between appointments, it’s common for a small portion of your temporary filling to break off. If the entire filling falls out please call our office so it can be replaced.
It is normal to experience some discomfort for several days after root canal appointment, especially when chewing. To control discomfort, take pain medication as recommended by your denstist. If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time, enven if all symptoms and signs of infection are gone.
To further reduce pain and swelling, rinse three times a day with warm salt water; dissolve a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water, then rinse, swish and spit.
To protect tooth and help keep your temporary filling in place:
1. Avoid chewing sticky food (such as gum or taffy candy)
2. Avoid bitting hard foods such as ice, fingernails or pencils.
3. If posible, chew only on the opposite side of your mouth
4. Contine to brush and floss normally
Please call our office if you have perisistent pain or discomfort.

c. After Crown or Bridges procedure:
Crowns or Bridges
(Fixed Prosthesis)
You have just had some crowns or fixed bridges cemented onto your teeth. They will replace your missing tooth structure or missing teeth very well, and should give you years of good service – provided you observe the following cautions:

Chewing: Do not chew hard foods on the restorations for 24 hours from the time they were cemented – to attain optimum strength, the cement must mature for approximately 24 hours.

Sensitivity: Don’t worry about mild sensitivity to hot or cold foods. This sensitivity will disappear gradually over a few weeks. Infrequently, sensitivity lasts longer than six weeks. Please notify us if this occurs.

Preventative Procedures: To provide optimum longevity for your restorations and to prevent future dental decay and supporting tissue breakdown, please use the following preventive procedures:
___ Brush and floss after eating and before bedtime.
___ Use a fluoride rinse, swish vigorously for at least 30 seconds daily.
___ Use fluoride gel as prescribed by our office.

Recalls: The most significant reason for prosthesis failure is inadequate return for examination. Visit us at regular six-month examination periods. Often problems that are developing around the restorations can be found at an early stage and corrected easily. Waiting for a longer time may require redoing the entire restoration.

Problems: Call us immediately if any one of these conditions occurs:
•A feeling of movement or looseness in the restoration.
•Sensitivity to sweet foods.
•A peculiar taste from the restoration site.
•Breakage of a piece of material from the restoration.
•Sensitivity to pressure.

We have done our best to provide you with the finest quality restoration available today. Only your continuing care and concern can assure long-term good dental health.

d  After New denture

1.  Complete Denture

Your New Complete Dentures

We have done our best to provide you with well-fitted, functional, and aesthetically pleasing dentures.  We feel confident that after a few weeks of adjustment, you will enjoy years of satisfaction and use.  In the meantime, the following is information you need to know.

1.   Your First Few Weeks.  New dentures always feel strange when first placed in your mouth.  Several days or even a few weeks will be required for you to feel accustomed to them.

2.   Sore Spots.  Your mouth will most likely have a few sore spots about 24 hours after you first put your new dentures in.  Such sore spots can be relieved by your doctor with very little effort.  An initial readjustment appointment should be made, and another appointment about seven days later will usually eliminate any other sore areas.

3.   Chewing.  The new “bite” or occlusion will not feel comfortable for a period of days.  We will adjust the contacting surfaces of your teeth after 24 hours, and again in about one week after the dentures have “settled” into place.

4.   Upper vs. Lower Dentures.  Your upper denture will rest comfortably in place with moderate-to-strong “suction.”  Although your lower denture will have good stability, it is infrequent that “suction” can be expected on a lower denture.  We suggest that you avoid denture adhesives unless you have extreme difficulty.

5.   Cleaning the Dentures – and Your Mouth.  Your dentures can be cleaned easily by using a denture brush and toothpaste.  Denture soaks are also useful for the denture.  Brush your gums with a regular toothbrush once per day to toughen and clean them.  You may leave the dentures in or out of your mouth at night, depending on your preference.  If they are out of your mouth, leave them soaking in a water-and-mouthwash solution.

6.   The Future.  Your jawbones and gums shrink up to 1/32 of an inch per year when your teeth are missing.  This is one of the main disadvantages of dentures.  Because of this shrinkage, you should plan to have your dentures and oral tissues evaluated by us once per year.  We will inform you when relining or rebasing of the dentures is necessary.  Wearing ill-fitting dentures for too long without refitting can cause severe bone loss and very serious oral disease.  Even dentures that “fit” comfortably need to be checked along with your tissue.

We look forward to helping you adjust to and enjoy your new dentures!

2.  Partial Denture

Your New Removable Partial Dentures

We have done our best to provide you with well-fitted, functional, and aesthetically pleasing partial dentures.  We feel confident that after a few weeks of adjustments, you will enjoy years of satisfaction and use.  In the meantime, the following is important information.

1.   Your First Few Weeks.  New dentures always feel strange when first placed in your mouth.  Several days or even a few weeks will be required for you to become accustomed to them.

2.   Sore Spots.  Your mouth will most likely have a few sore spots about 24 hours after you first put your new partial dentures in.  An initial readjustment appointment should be made and another appointment, about seven days later, will usually eliminate any other sore areas.

3.   Chewing.  The new “bite” or occlusion will not feel comfortable for a period of days.  We will adjust the contacting surfaces of your teeth after 24 hours, and again in about one week after the dentures have “settled” into place.

4.   Cleaning the Dentures – and Your Mouth.  Your partial dentures can be cleaned easily by using a denture brush and toothpaste.  Use special care to clean parts of the partial that contact any natural teeth.  Both the partial denture and the natural teeth must be kept very clean on a daily basis to reduce the chance of new dental decay starting.  Use a toothpaste that contains fluoride.  Denture soaks are also useful for the denture.  Brush your gums with a regular toothbrush once per day to toughen and clean them.  You may leave the dentures in or out of your mouth at night, depending on your preference.  If they are out of your mouth, then leave them soaking in a water-and-mouthwash solution.

5.   The Future.  Your jawbones and gums shrink up to 1/32 of an inch per year when your teeth are missing.  This is one of the main disadvantages of dentures.  Because of this shrinkage, you should plan to have your dentures and oral tissues evaluated by us at least every six (6) months.  We will inform you when relining or rebasing of the dentures is necessary.  Wearing ill-fitting dentures for too long without refitting can cause severe bone loss and very serious oral disease.