Crown and Bridge Post-Operative Instructions
- Numbness of your lip, tongue or palate may persist for several hours after procedure is complete. Do not chew, eat, drink hot liquids, or smoke until the anesthetic has worn off to prevent injury from accidentally biting or burning oneself.
- Soreness may occur at the tooth, surrounding gums, injections sites, or the jaw joint. If these occur, apply moist heat to the affected area and take an analgesic/anti-inflammatory, such as ibuprofen (if medically able to do so).
- A temporary restoration made out of acrylic or thin metal has been placed on your tooth. Avoid sticky or crunchy foods to prevent loosening or fracturing the temporary restoration.
- If the bite feels “high” on the temporary restoration, please call the office to have it adjusted. Failure to do so can result in a toothache or fracturing of the temporary restoration.
- Brush your temporary restoration daily. When flossing, slide the floss out from between the teeth instead of pulling back up. This prevents loosening of the temporary restoration.
- If your temporary restoration loosens, call the office to have it recemented. If you’re unable to come in, a thin layer of tooth paste can be applied to the inside to hold in place temporarily.
- It is very important to keep your next appointment, approximately 3-4 weeks after the initial appointment, to have the final crown cemented. Failure to keep your crown seat appointment can, overtime, result into teeth shifting or tooth fracture/loss due to the lack of protection.
- When the final crown restoration has been placed, brush and floss accordingly. Do not chew on ice cubes or any other hard objects or continue damaging habits. Use a sensitivity toothpaste with fluoride if thermal sensitivity occurs. Also, if the bite feels unusual, please schedule an appointment to get it checked.
- On occasions, damage to the pulp of the tooth may occur. Further treatment, such as a root canal therapy, may be necessary.
- Regular dental examinations are important to maintain the function and appearance of one’s crowns, bridges, etc.
- If you have any questions, please feel free to call the office at (855) 912-7677.
