General Guidelines Following All Procedures

Please make sure to follow the guidelines our office provides! Most importantly, keep up good oral hygiene practices at home. We have specific instructions following different types of treatment plans down below. To learn more, please click on the relevant service, and if you are experiencing any severe pain or dental damage, don't hesitate to contact us ASAP. If your emergency is life-threatening in any way, visit the nearest emergency room and/or call 911.

Instructions Following:

Crown, Bridge, Inlay/Onlay Dental Extractions Fillings Implant Surgery/Implant Treatment Root Canal Therapy Scaling & Root Planing Soft Tissue Graft Whitening Invisalign®

Instructions Following Crown, Bridge, Inlay/Onlay

Following Tooth Preparation:

• It's very common for the affected tooth and the gums around it to feel overly tender and/or sensitive for the first couple of days after preparation. If these feelings are still strong after those days have passed, please contact us so that we can assist you.
• If we used anesthesia during your appointment, be careful to avoid chewing, eating, and/or biting until you recover from the numbness.
• Depending on circumstances, we may either place the restoration during the same visit as the tooth preparation, or we may schedule a different appointment.

For Temporary Restorations:

• Make sure to maintain a diet of foods that are softer. We recommend to steer clear of foods that are overly tough, chewy, or crunchy. 
• Please brush and floss carefully around the temporary restoration each day. Be especially gentle when using floss so that you don't accidentally loosen the restoration. We recommend removing the floss by pulling at one end so that there isn't too much pressure applied. 
• Please call us right away if the temporary restoration breaks in any way or loosens too much.

After Final Restoration Placement:

• For the first 24 hours after your final restoration is placed, avoid eating anything sticky, crunchy, or hard in nature. The cement needs enough time to fully bond. 
• It's very common in the first few weeks after the procedure to experience some mild oversensitivity to foods that are especially cold or hot. If this sensitivity is still going on after six weeks, give us a call.

Ongoing Care:

• You should be brushing your restoration (just like your teeth) after every time you eat, as well as flossing at least once each day before you go to sleep. 
• Regularly rinsing with water or mouthwash can help in removing any additional pieces of food that may have been accidentally left behind after flossing and brushing.

Are you in pain? Do you have any additional concerns? Call our office! 

Instructions Following Dental Extractions

• After your surgery, it's critical to maintain consistent pressure by biting down on a gauze pad or roll that our team will provide. This should stay in place until the bleeding is done. It's perfectly normal for some bleeding to occur, but this will help prevent an excessive flow. The gauze should be replaced at regular intervals. 
• Children in particular should be watched closely after an extraction. They may accidentally chew or bite their soft tissue (such as lips or tongue), causing injury.
• It's important to take prescriptions as directed. If you have prescribed any medication other than ibuprofen, Tylenol, or aspirin, it's important that you don't operate heavy equipment, drive a vehicle, work around machinery, or participate in any activity where grogginess could be dangerous. 
• We may recommend antibiotics to help stave off infection. Please use this medicine according to instructions.
• After an extraction, some swelling around the surgical site, the eyes, and/or the face can occur. It may not appear until the day after your surgery, slowly becoming more noticeable in the next two to three days. You can minimize the effect with the use of a cold compress. If doing so, make sure to wrap the ice in a cloth and don't press it directly to the skin. 20 minutes on and at least 20 minutes off is the best method. After roughly 36 hours, a cold compress shouldn't have any further effect, but you can transition to moist heat instead.
• During the first 24 hours, avoid smoking, brushing, spitting, or sucking through a straw. Do not consume any alcoholic beverages or eat spicy/hot foods.
• It's important to avoid excessive activity on the surgery day. The next day, you can resume a more normal routine. 
• The day after surgery, rinse your mouth with salt water at least three times. You can mix one-half teaspoon of salt into an eight ounce glass of water.
• During the first handful of days, maintain a diet of softer foods and drinks such as smoothies, yogurts, juices, and/or soups.
• Some patients need sutures after an extraction. These usually can dissolve on their own after up to 10 days have passed, but if your sutures will need removal by our team, we will be sure to let you know and plan an additional visit.
• If you experience any excessive bleeding, extreme pain, or intense swelling after your extraction procedure, call us right away. If any of these conditions could be life-threatening, call 911 ASAP for assistance.

Instructions Following Fillings

• Wait to chew or eat anything until your numbness from the anesthesia is gone. 
• Be sure to watch children closely to make sure they don't accidentally bite their tongue and/or lips while their numbness is wearing off. 
• Avoid foods that are overly tough or crunchy for at least a full day following your procedure. 
• If you are experiencing any sorenesss or oversensitivity to temperature, it should ease after a couple of days. 
• Please call our office right away if you're still experiencing noticeable discomfort or sensitivity after a few days. 

Instructions Following Implant Surgery/Implant Treatment

• After oral surgery, it's very common to experience some pain, swelling, bleeding, and seeping. Don't try to look at the treated site by tugging on your lip, and don't touch the spot with your fingers and/or tongue. If any serious discomfort or bleeding is still happening after 48-72 hours, let us know immediately. 
• It is safe to take ibuprofen or acetaminophen as long as you're following provided instructions either from our team or listed on the medication's label.
• You may experience some noticeable swelling around the surgical site, your eyes, or your face in the first few days after surgery. A cold compress can help reduce the effect. Make sure to wrap any ice in cloth and don't press it directly to your skin. 30 minutes on and 30 minutes off is the best method for application. After 36 hours, switch to moist heat. 
• Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water three times a day can help alleviate discomfort. 
• It's fine to brush and floss the rest of your mouth, but avoid the teeth immediately around the surgical site at first. 
• Avoid sucking on a straw, rinsing, spitting, or smoking for the first 24 hours following your appointment.
• It's common to experience oversensitivity to cold and hot temperatures, especially in the first 24 hours. Limit any exposure to hot/spicy foods, carbonated beverages, or alcohol. 
• Avoid any rigorous activities on the day of your surgery. You should be able to resume a normal routine the next day. 
• Maintain a diet of soft foods and drinks for at least the first few days following surgery. 
• Make sure that you are taking any medications we've prescribed to minimize your risk of infection. 
• If you regularly use a denture that impacts your surgical site, it's important to minimize denture use so that the spot has enough time to heal. After a week, you should be able to build up your denture use back to normal levels.
• Please maintain any scheduled follow-up appointments so that our team can make sure you're healing at the proper pace.
• If your swelling and/or pain is worsening after the first few days, please call us ASAP.

Instructions Following Root Canal Therapy

Let us know If you have any concerns. Please follow the guidelines below:

• It's important that you avoid eating and drinking for the first half-hour after your procedure. Do not touch the tooth directly with your tongue, as the new filling needs time to harden in place.
• If we prescribed any medication, please take them as directed. If you did not receive prescriptions, it is fine to take regular ibuprofen medicine as long as you don't have existing allergies to maintain discomfort. Tylenol is also fine to use. Make sure to not exceed dosage guidelines on the label. If you are not able to control your pain through medication, please call us. 
• The use of a cold compress can help keep any facial swelling to a minimum. Make sure to wrap the ice in a cloth instead of touching it to the skin and follow a 20 minutes on/20 minutes off pattern over 6-8 hours for maximum effectiveness. 
• Once you resume a normal diet, exercise extra care to avoid biting directly on the treatment zone until you've received a permanent restoration. These restorations are typically crafted from a soft composite material that can fracture. For this reason, don't chew on items like hard candy, peanuts, pretzels, ice cubes, or other tough foods.
• Before your final restoration, you may notice some higher levels of sensitivity. It's important to have your new, permanent restoration placed as soon as possible. Waiting over a month can increase the chances of an injury, decay, and/or a fracture of the temporary restoration.
• Gently brush and floss each day so that the treated area stays clean.
• While rare, it is possible for a temporary filling to fall out. If this happens, contact us as soon as you can. If it occurs at night, pharmacies sell temporary filling material that can be used to repair the area until you're able to visit the practice. 
• After undergoing a root canal, oral discomfort is very common for the first few days. Soreness can persist for a couple of weeks in the treated tooth and its surrounding tissue. 

READ THE VERY IMPORTANT SECTION BELOW CAREFULLY

Flare-ups are very rare, but they can occur in roughly 5% of root canal cases. Flare-ups can lead to excessive pain; they usually occur in teeth that have been treated previously or are extremely irritated. Even if you've had root canals done in the past with no problems, flare-ups may occur randomly. Common symptoms include throbbing, swelling, pain, or overall discomfort. Our team may prescribe additional medicine to help curb these symptoms, or we may ask you to return to the office for additional care.

Instructions Following Scaling & Root Planing

• Oversensitivity to cold or hot temperatures is common in the first 24 hours. 
• Please wait until the numbness from the anesthesia has fully worn off before drinking or eating. 
• Overly hot or spicy foods should be avoided for the first 24 hours, as well as rigorous exercise. 
• Wait at least 48 hours before smoking or drinking alcohol. 
• It's normal for some bleeding to occur after a deep cleaning. If the bleeding is heavy or persists a long time, please contact us. 
• It is safe to take ibuprofen or acetaminophen if you need it; just make sure to follow instructions on the label.
• Brush and floss gently right after your deep cleaning. Once any sore feelings are gone, it's fine to return to your normal oral hygiene routine.
• Make sure to follow the instructions we provide! 
• Please take any medications we have prescribed you. 

Instructions Following Soft Tissue Graft

• Swelling, bleeding, seeping, and general pain are all common symptoms to expect after oral surgery. Don't touch the site with your fingers or tongue directly, and don't pull on your lip in order to expose it. 
• Please avoid drinking through a straw or spitting. Bleeding can be reduced by applying a gauze pad and biting down on it. Bleeding is common for the first 24 hours. If it is still going on after that time frame, contact us. 
• Make sure to take all prescribed medications, including mouth rinse.
• Warm salt water should be used to rinse 4-5 days each day after eating after the first 24 hours. 
• After the first day, it is okay to brush with a soft manual toothbrush. Exercise additional care with the surgical areas.
• We may use sutures, which should dissolve on their own following surgery.
• Facial bruising and swelling can occur in the first few days after your surgery. Cold compresses can help keep the effects under control. Make sure to wrap the ice pack in a cloth instead of touching the ice directly to your skin. Rotate the cold compress (20 minutes on, 20 minutes off) for up to 36 hours. After that timeframe, switch to the use of moist heat instead. 
• Make sure to drink lots of fluids and do not partake in any overly acidic or spicy foods, as well as crunchy/hard foods (such as chips or nuts). Don't use tobacco and alcohol, especially when also taking pain medication. 
• Don't do any strenuous activities for at least 2-3 days after surgery.
• Surgical bandages should remain where they are for at least a full 24 hours. It will come off when it's ready and you shouldn't have to remove it manually. Once it comes off, you can clean the area with a cotton swab and mouth rinse very gently. 

Instructions Following Whitening

Following Bleaching:

• Teeth actually have a higher risk of stains in the immediate 48 hours following a whitening procedure. Steer clear of any dark-colored drinks or foods. If it could leave a mark on your clothes, it can do the same to your enamel!
• In particular, we highly recommend not eating soda, cola, berries, coffee, tea, ketchup, soy, or tobacco.

REGARDING Custom Trays:

• Make sure to follow along with any provided instructions. The bleaching gel should be placed in the center of each tooth on the tray so that it can rest comfortably against the anterior surfaces once it's being worn. Make sure you're wearing them for the entire recommended timespan. 
• Once done, rinse your mouth and gently clean off any remaining gel that's sticking to the teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
• Properly clean your trays, and repeat. 

Instructions for Invisalign®

Do

• Make sure your aligner is in place with the use of your fingers. Once your aligner is positioned over your front teeth, push it down gently over the molars. When they're in the correct position, they'll slide all the way over the teeth with no extra space between the top of your teeth and the aligners. At first, they'll have a tight fit, but it should become more comfortable over the next two weeks. 
• Make sure you're always wearing your aligners except when you're eating a meal, brushing your teeth, or flossing. We also recommend taking them out if you're drinking a hot beverage, such as tea or coffee. 
• When taking out your aligners, pull at both sides of the back teeth at the same time before lifting it off the front teeth. Make sure you're using your case any time the aligners are not in your mouth. 
• Regularly clean your aligners with toothpaste and a toothbrush. 
• Each set of aligners should be worn for two weeks as directed (unless we provide alternate instructions).
• Each aligner is labeled; make sure you're wearing them in order. 
• Bring old aligners to each appointment. 

Don't

• Avoid setting your aligners down without their case. Far too many aligners have been thrown away over the years when they're placed in a napkin or tissue. 
• Don't "bite" your aligners into the proper place. 
• Be careful with your aligners if there are pets in the house. They are drawn to the smell of saliva and might try to chew on your trays if you leave them within reach. 
• Never use denture cleaner to rinse your aligners. 
• Avoid placing your aligners in hot or boiling water. 
• Never chew gum while you're wearing the aligners. 
• We strongly suggest NOT smoking while wearing aligners. It can stain them and your teeth. 

Just in Case

• If you've lost the tab that helps snap your aligner into its proper place, give us a call. We'll let you know if we think you should come into the office before the next appointment you have planned. 
• Have you lost one of your trays? Wear the next tray if you have it, or the previous tray if you do not. It's crucial to keep using a tray so that teeth don't shift out of alignment. Please contact us and let us know the tray or trays you lost so that we can figure out if replacements are needed. There will be a fee for this if new trays must be created.