Home Instructions

After Dental Rehabilitation

The feel of your new bite will take time to adjust. Whenever a new occlusion has been given, the bite is altered or the position of the teeth is changed. So, it takes several days for the brain to consider the altered new position of your teeth or their thickness as normal. If you continue to detect any high spots or problems adjusting with your bite, call our office so that we can schedule an adjustment appointment.

It is normal to experience some hot and cold sensitivity. The teeth require some recovery time to heal after tooth removal and will be sensitive in this healing phase. Your gums can be little sore for a few days. Routine brushing, flossing, warm salt water rinsing minimum three times a day will reduce discomfort. A mild pain killer should ease any residual discomfort and should preferably be taken after dentist’s consent.

There can be slight speech slurring/alteration for the first few days. You’ll quickly adapt and be speaking normally. Also, you may have increased salivation. This is because your brain is responding to the new size and shape of your teeth. This usually subsides normally in a week’s time.

Daily brushing & flossing are mandatory for your new dental work. Daily plaque removal is critical for the long-term success of your new teeth. Any calculus build-up can be taken care during regular cleaning appointments.

Any food that can crack, chip or damage a natural tooth can do the same to your new teeth. Avoid chewing hard foods and substances such as almonds & other nuts, dried peas, peanut cake, ice, fingernail or pencil biting and sticky candies. Always follow a hierarchy in food chewing starting from soft to relatively hard food stuffs. Smoking stains your new teeth. Minimize or avoid foods that stain such as coffee, red wine, tea and berries.

Let us know if you engage in sports, so that we can make a custom mouth-guard. If you have teeth grinding habit at sleep, wear the night guard we have provided for you. Adjusting to the look and feel of your new smile will take time. If you have any problems or concerns, please let us know. We always welcome your questions and help you resolving the problems.

After Crown and Bridge Appointments

Dental crowns & bridges usually take two or three appointments to complete. In the first visit, the teeth are prepared and moulds of the teeth & the surrounding soft tissues are taken. Temporary crowns or bridges are placed to protect the teeth while the custom made crowns & bridges are being made. Since the teeth are usually anesthetized, the tongue, lips and roof of the mouth may feel numb. Please refrain from eating and drinking hot beverages, lip and cheek biting until the numbness is completely worn off. Occasionally a temporary crown may come off. Call us if this happens and bring the temporary crown with you so that we can re-cement it. It is very important for the temporary to stay in place until restored with permanent crown, as it will prevent other teeth from drifting and compromising the fit of your final restoration.

To prevent dislodgement of temporaries, avoid eating sticky foods (gum), hard foods and if possible, chew on the opposite side of your mouth. It is important to brush normally, but floss carefully.

It is normal to experience some temperature and pressure sensitivity after each appointment. The sensitivity should subside in a few weeks after the placement of the final restoration. Mild pain killers may also be used as directed by our office. If your bite feels uneven, if you have persistent pain, or if you have any other questions or concerns, please call our office.

After Tooth Extraction

After tooth removal, it’s important for a blood clot to form in the socket area to stop the bleeding and begin the healing process. That’s why we ask you to bite on a gauze pad for 30-45 minutes after the appointment. If the bleeding or oozing still persists, place another gauze pad and bite firmly for another 30 minutes. You may have to do this several times.

After the blood clot forms in the socket area, it is important not to disturb or dislodge the clot as it aids in healing. Do not rinse vigorously, suck on straws, smoke, drink alcohol, use carbonated drinks or poke/feel with tip of tongue and fingers. These activities will dislodge or dissolve the clot and retard the healing process. Limit vigorous exercise for the next 24 hours as this will increase blood pressure and may cause more bleeding from the extraction site.

After the tooth is extracted, you may feel some pain and experience some swelling. An ice pack or an unopened bag of frozen peas or corn or cold sponge applied to the area will keep swelling to a minimum. This can be repeated frequently as it can give a soothing effect. Take pain medications and antibiotics as prescribed for the indicated Period of time, even if signs and symptoms of infection are gone. The swelling usually subsides after 48 hours.

Drink lots of fluid and eat nutritious soft food on the day of the extraction. Avoid eating hot and spicy food stuffs for a day after tooth removal. You can eat normally as soon as you feel comfortable.

It is important to resume your normal dental routine after 24 hours. This should include brushing and flossing your teeth at least once a day. This will speed healing and help keep your mouth fresh and clean.

After a few days you will feel fine and can resume your normal activities. If you have heavy bleeding, severe pain, continued swelling for 2-3 days, or a reaction to the medication, call our office immediately.

After Composite Fillings (White Fillings)

When a surface/ local anaesthetic has been used, your lips and tongue may be numb for several hours after the appointment. Avoid lip/cheek biting, taking hot beverages until the numbness has completely worn off. It is very easy to bite or burn your tongue or lip while you are numb.

It is normal to experience some hot, cold & pressure sensitivity after your dental filling appointment. Injection sites may also be sore. Mild analgesics may be prescribed which will alleviate tenderness. If pressure sensitivity persists beyond a few days or if the sensitivity to hot or cold increases, contact our office.

You may chew with your composite fillings as soon as the anaesthetic effect wears off completely since they are fully set when you leave the office. If your bite feels uneven, if you have persistent pain, or if you have any other questions or concerns, please call our office.

After having Braces

Mild pain or tenderness in the initial few days of wearing braces is common. Try managing discomfort without taking pain killers as they sometimes block teeth movements.

Use a special orthodontic tooth brush as prescribed by your orthodontist for brushing your teeth. You can continue using the same toothpaste you were previously using for brushing teeth. Sometimes, you may be prescribed a fluoride tooth paste if you have high chances of developing teeth decay.

Brushing twice a day is advised (morning once & night time before going to sleep). Use of mouth rinse after brushing is advised twice a day. Intermittently, if feasible, you can rinse with warm water with salt.

In the initial few days of having braces, brush seeing the face mirror as the chance of tampering braces with brush head is high when brushed blindly. Ensure none of the plaque remains over the teeth after brushing. See to that tooth brush is changed periodically as and when your brush bristles fray out.

Gently brush over your gums to flush away any plaque over gums. Whenever gums are infected there is bleeding while brushing. Don’t be scared. With proper brushing, bleeding stops in a week’s time with proper plaque removal.

If you are a sports person, ask your orthodontist for a custom made mouth guard which protects your braces, teeth and soft tissues from any harm during play.

Stick to your retainer schedule as informed by your orthodontist.