Home Care Instructions

Remember that it will take time to adjust to the feel of your new bite. When the bite is altered or the position of the teeth is changed it takes several days for the brain to recognize the new position of your teeth or their thickness as normal. If you continue to detect any high spots or problems with your bite, call our office at Philadelphia Office Phone Number 215-972-9722 so we can schedule an adjustment appointment.

It is normal to experience some hot and cold sensitivity. The teeth require some time to heal after removal of tooth structure and will be sensitive in the interim. Your gums may also be sore for a few days. Warm salt water rinses (a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) three times a day will reduce pain and swelling. A mild pain medication (one tablet of Tylenol or Ibuprofen (Motrin) every 3-4 hours) should ease any residual discomfort.

Don’t be concerned if your speech is affected for the first few days. You’ll quickly adapt and be speaking normally. You may notice increased salivation. This is because your brain is responding to the new size and shape of your teeth. This should subside to normal in about a week.

Daily brushing and flossing are a must for your new dental work. Daily plaque removal is critical for the long-term success of your new teeth, as are regular cleaning appointments.

Any food that can crack, chip or damage a natural tooth can do the same to your new teeth. Avoid hard foods and substances (such as beer nuts, peanut brittle, ice, fingernails, or pencils) and sticky candies. Smoking will stain your new teeth. Minimize or avoid foods that stain such as coffee, red wine, tea and berries.

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.

Dental crowns and dental bridges usually take two or three appointments to complete. In the first visit, the teeth are prepared and molds of the mouth are taken. Temporary crowns or bridges are placed to protect the teeth while the custom restoration is being made. Since the teeth will be anesthetized, the tongue, lips and roof of the mouth may be numb. Please refrain from eating and drinking hot beverages until the numbness is completely worn off.

Occasionally a temporary crown may come off. Call us at Philadelphia Office Phone Number 215-972-9722 if this happens and bring the temporary crown with you so we can re-cement it. It is very important for the temporary to stay in place, as it will prevent other teeth from moving and compromising the fit of your final restoration.

To keep your temporaries in place, 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 and don’t pull up on the floss which may dislodge the temporary but pull the floss out from the side of the temporary crown.

It is normal to experience some temperature and pressure sensitivity after each appointment. The sensitivity should subside a few weeks after the placement of the final restoration. Mild pain medications 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 at Philadelphia Office Phone Number 215-972-9722.

After tooth extraction, it’s important for a blood clot to form 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, it is important not to disturb or dislodge the clot as it aids healing. Do not rinse vigorously, suck on straws, smoke, drink alcohol or brush teeth next to the extraction site for 72 hours. 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 applied to the area will keep swelling to a minimum. Take pain medications as prescribed. The swelling usually subsides after 48 hours.

Use the pain medication as directed. Call the office at Philadelphia Office Phone Number 215-972-9722 if the medication doesn’t seem to be working. If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time, even if signs and symptoms of infection are gone. Drink lots of fluid and eat nutritious soft food on the day of the extraction. You can eat normally as soon as you are 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 at Philadelphia Office Phone Number 215-972-9722.

When an anesthetic has been used, your lips and tongue may be numb for several hours after the appointment. Avoid any chewing and 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. Ibuprofen (Motrin), Tylenol or aspirin (one tablet every 3-4 hours as needed for pain) work well to alleviate the tenderness. If pressure sensitivity persists beyond a few days or if the sensitivity to hot or cold increases, contact our office at Philadelphia Office Phone Number 215-972-9722.

You may chew with your composite fillings as soon as the anesthetic completely wears off, 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 at Philadelphia Office Phone Number 215-972-9722.

We hope your root canal treatment at Kaminsky Dental Associates has been a pleasant experience. Please read these instructions carefully to fully understand the healing phase and to insure the proper success of this procedure for your tooth.

What should I expect following Endodontic treatment?

Following root canal therapy, there may be some soreness in the area of the treated tooth and the injection site. This is in response to the body’s natural healing process. In some cases, you may experience mild to moderate discomfort for 4-7 days. We recommend that you take 600-800mg of Ibuprofen (3-4 200mg of Advil or Motrin tablets) every 4-6 hours after the procedure as needed for pain. If you are unable to take Ibuprofen, you may take 1000mg Acetaminophen (two extra strength Tylenols) every 6 hours.

Guidelines for Post-Treatment Care

Do not eat anything until the numbness in your mouth wears off. This will help to prevent you from biting your cheek or tongue.

Avoid hard foods and hard substances on the treated tooth.

You may brush and floss your remaining teeth, but do not floss around the root canal tooth. In many cases this is due to the placement of a temporary filling material that will not allow flossing between the teeth. It is also not unusual for some of the temporary filling material to wear away. If you feel that the entire filling has come out, please contact us.

If swelling results following the endodontic procedure, antibiotics may be indicated. Please contact us for a prescription and follow the instructions on the bottle.

Schedule the appropriate appointment to place the final restoration in your tooth.

1. Avoid any strenuous activity

2. Sleep with your head elevated

3. Rinsing: Do not rinse for the first day of surgery. After the first day, you may rinse gently with warm salt water or any prescribed rinse (may cause staining that be removed at your next cleaning visit).    Do not rinse vigorously or spit

4. Eating: Chew on the non-surgical side of the mouth. Soft foods are encouraged for the first day. After the first day, eat a balanced diet. Adequate nutrition is essential for normal healing. Suggested food includes milkshakes, warm (not hot) soup, eggs, cottage cheese, ground meat, bananas, cooked fish and soft bread.

5. Avoid smoking as this affects wound healing

6. Brushing: Can be continued around adjacent teeth. Do not brush the surgical site as this could affect healing the first week.

7. Medication: If medications were prescribed, it is very important to take them as directed. Failure to take the medications may adversely affect healing.

8. Dressings: A surgical dressing may have been placed to protect the surgical site. If a dressing was used, it is important not to drink very hot liquids as these may soften the dressing. If small pieces break away and become loose do not be alarmed. Dr. Gerson will eventually remove the dressing at a postoperative visit.

9. Cold Packs: Should be applied on and off for the first day. This will minimize any swelling, which is a side effect of surgery

10. Bleeding: This is normal. Oozing may be controlled with ice cold water held around the wound site. If bleeding continuous or extensive:

• apply firm pressure for 30 minutes with gauze or wet tea bag
• Ice your face
• Prop yourself up and elevate your head

11. Discomfort: Some discomfort is normal and expected. If you were prescribed something for pain, you should take it. Otherwise, Advil or Tylenol is safe to take

12. Please call the office with any questions or concerns. After office hours, the doctor may be reached through the answering service

13. Graft Surgeries Only:

It is imperative that the graft does not move in any way. This means that you should not pull up/down your lip or cheek to try to see the surgical site, as this will also pull the gingiva under the dressing.

Taking the proper medications and anti-inflammatory is essential. Swelling of the graft will cause movement and as a result, failure.

Grafts look unsightly for the first two weeks. When the dressing comes off, do not be alarmed if the area looks very red or white. It is a normal part of the healing process.

Do not brush the area for at least two weeks. An antibacterial rinse has been prescribed to take the place of brushing in that area. Regular postoperative visits with Dr. Gerson are important to check the healing.