Post Treatment Instructions

• Crowns, Bridges, Inlays, or Onlays
• Deep Teeth Cleaning
• Dentures
• Tooth Extractions
• Fillings
• Gum Surgery
• Implant Surgery
• Root Canals

Crown & Bridge, Crowns, Inlays, or Onlays

• You will wear temporary restorations until your permanent restoration is made.
• If your temporary falls off or breaks, save the pieces and call our office.
• Do not bite your lips, cheeks, or scrape your gums. Children should be watched carefully to make sure they don’t do this, as it will damage soft tissues and result in pain.
• Sensitivity to cold and heat, as well as any soreness, should go away in a few days.
• Brush gently and floss carefully for the first few days.
• DO NOT FLOSS around the temporary crown or bridges
• Avoid gum or sticky foods
• Try to chew on other side of mouth

Deep Teeth Cleaning

• Sensitivity to cold and heat will subside.
• Do not chew or eat until numbness subsides.
• Brush and floss as usual. Your gums may bleed a bit for a few days.
• For two days after your appointment, please rinse with warm salt water (1 tsp salt to 1 cup water). Gargle as if you are using mouth rinse.

Denture Delivery

• It is normal to experience some discomfort and speech problems while getting used to your new dentures. New dentures need several adjustments to fit comfortably. To help with speech, read aloud for a few minutes every day. Your mouth will adjust, and your speech will improve.
• Remove your dentures every night to allow your gums to rest. Keep the denture in container of water or denture cleaner.
• Thoroughly brush your dentures with water before wearing them.

Tooth Extractions

• For an hour after surgery, you should place pressure on the gauze pad covering the extraction site. If bleeding continues, apply new gauze and pressure for and additional 45 minutes.
• After surgery, place a cold compress on your face near the extraction site for 10 minutes. Remove for 5 minutes. Repeat.
• Do not eat or drink hot foods and beverages after surgery.
• Do not rinse your mouth.
• Do not use a straw.
• Do not spit.
• Do not drink carbonated beverages.
• Do not brush your teeth on the day of the surgery. Then resume normal home care, gently brushing and flossing.
• Bruising, swelling, and pain are normal – particularly if you have had a wisdom tooth extraction. Take your prescribed medication and use a cold compress on your face.
• Plan to eat soft foods, such as soups, milk shakes, fruit juice, and yogurt, for 2-3 days.
• Do not bite your lips, cheeks, or scrape your gums. Children should be watched carefully to make sure they don’t do this, as it will damage soft tissues and result in pain.
• For the first 24 hours after surgery, place a cold compress on your face near the extraction site for 10 minutes. Remove for 5 minutes. Repeat. After 24 hours, you may switch to a warm pack, several times a day, up to 20 minutes at a time.
• Do not brush the extraction site after surgery. Keep the area clean using mouth rinse. Let the mouth rinse flow out of your mouth naturally. DO NOT SPIT.
• If you start bleeding, please use a damp tea bag as a compress. Hold the damp tea bag over the extraction site for 30 minutes. If the bleeding does not stop, please contact our office immediately.

Fillings

• For an hour following your visit, do not chew. Wait until numbness subsides before eating. If you had amalgam fillings placed, do not chew for 24 hours.
• Do not bite your lips, cheeks, or scrape your gums. Children should be watched carefully to make sure they don’t do this. It will damage soft tissues and result in pain
• Sensitivity to cold and heat, as well as any soreness, should go away in a few days.

Gum Surgery

• Pain, swelling, and bleeding is normal following gum surgery. A cold compress should be placed on your face near the surgical site for 10 minutes at a time, with 5 minutes off, the day of your surgery. This will reduce pain, swelling, and bleeding.
• Take your prescribed medications as instructed.
• You should keep your follow-up appointment with your dentist.
• Do not raise your lips and probe the area with your fingers.
• Do not brush your teeth near the sutures. However, you should brush and floss the rest of your teeth as you normally would.
• You may experience loss of sensation at the surgical site, and nearby teeth may feel loose for a while.
• Do not spit or use a straw the day of your procedure. Avoid smoking for a few days.

Implant Surgery

• Pain, swelling, and bleeding is normal following dental implant surgery. A cold compress should be placed on your face near the surgical site for 10 minutes at a time, with 5 minutes off, the day of your surgery. This will reduce pain, swelling, and bleeding.
• Take your prescribed medications as instructed.
• You should keep your appointment for follow-up with your dentist.
• Do not raise your lips and probe the area with your fingers.
• Do not brush your teeth near the sutures. However, you should brush and floss the rest of your teeth as you normally would.
• Do not spit or use a straw the day of your procedure. Avoid smoking for a few days.
• For the first 24 hours after surgery, place a cold compress on your face near the extraction site for 15 minutes. Remove for 15 minutes. Repeat. After 24 hours, you may switch to a warm pack, several times a day, up to 20 minutes at a time.
• Plan to eat soft foods, such as soups, milk shakes, fruit juice, and yogurt, for 2-3 days.
• If you start bleeding, please use a damp tea bag as a compress. Hold the damp tea bag over the extraction site for 30 minutes. If the bleeding does not stop, please contact our office immediately.
• Do not brush the implant site after surgery. Keep the area clean using mouth rinse. Let the mouth rinse flow out of your mouth naturally. DO NOT SPIT.

Root Canal Treatment

• Sensitivity should subside after a few days.
• Take your prescribed medication as directed.
• Because a temporary filling is on the tooth, do not bite hard for one hour after your appointment. Once the permanent filling is in place, chew carefully on the opposite side of your mouth.
• Do not bite your lips, cheeks, or scrape your gums. Children should be watched carefully to make sure they don’t do this, as it will damage soft tissues and result in pain.
• Sensitivity to cold and heat, as well as any soreness, should go away in a few days.
• Brush and floss gently.

For more information, please contact our office. Our friendly and knowledgeable team is happy to answer questions and to help you schedule a free consultation with Dr. Shen.*