Vitamins, dietary supplements, or medications may be prescribed to
improve your overall health. Take any prescribed medication according
to directions.
Dental laser procedures result in little or no discomfort following
surgery. Take prescribed pain medications according to instructions
if needed.
For the first 24 hour period immediately following surgery, stay on
a liquid diet only. For the following 3-7 days after surgery, a soft
diet is recommended. Try to eat soft but nutritious foods such as eggs,
yogurt, cottage cheese, smoothies, etc. Stay away from spicy and "chippy"
foods and always maintain good fluid intake during this period.
Carefully avoid chewing food in the areas of the mouth where the laser
has been used. One of the most important results of laser surgery is
the healing that occurs following the initial procedure. It is extremely
important not to dislodge the tiny clots (scabs) that form in the gums.
Do not apply excessive tongue or cheek pressure to the surgerized area.
Daily Care:
Brush the teeth by placing the bristles of the brush on the gums below
the tooth and carefully rolling the bristles toward the tooth surface.
Do not stick the bristles into the gums.
Brush the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
Try to keep your mouth as clean as possible in order to help the healing
process. Brush and follow other home care instructions in all areas
of the mouth except for the surgerized area.
Do not be alarmed with any color changes or appearance of tissues following
laser therapy. Tissues can be gray, yellow, red, purple, "stringy"
and reflect normal response to laser treatment.
Reduce activity for several hours following surgery.
It is OK to spit, rinse, and wash your mouth today. Rinse as directed
with Peridex morning and night. It is OK to gently rinse with warm salt
water every three (3) hours.
Do not eat spicy or very hot (temperature) foods.
Do not be alarmed if one of the following occurs: light bleeding or
swelling, some soreness, tenderness or tooth sensitivity and a medicinal
taste from the Peridex.
If your doctor determines you need it, a surgical pack will be placed
on the area to prevent food, trauma, and/or smoke from irritating the
tissues. If a piece of the pack falls out, or the entire pack loosens,
do not be alarmed.
Swelling may possibly occur. To keep this at a minimum, gently place
an ice pack outside the face for 20 minutes each hour until you retire
for sleep at night. Do not continue using the ice pack beyond the day
of the surgery.
Some oozing of blood may occur and will appear to be greatly exaggerated
when it dissolves in saliva. If excessive bleeding occurs, call the
office.
Please call the clinic if any of the following occurs:
Do not be alarmed that beginning with just 2 weeks after surgery and
extending for as long as 1 year or more, the teeth may become sore,
tender, or sensitive as the bones and ligaments around the teeth regenerate
and become more firm. This is a sign of healing, but also may indicate
that presence of a bite imbalance which will need to be adjusted.
Flap
Surgery Post Op Instructions
ACTIVITY: Following your
procedure, we suggest you consider relaxing or at least limiting your
activity as much as possible for the remainder of the day. Avoid strenuous
activity and aerobic exercise for the next 3 days.
DISCOMFORT: Some discomfort
may be present when the anesthesia wears off. You have been given a
prescription for moderate discomfort. Please take this as directed for
1-2 days. This drug will greatly decrease the possibility of post-surgical
swelling and pain and has been shown to accelerate healing. After the
first few days, 2 Tylenol, or 2 Advil taken every 4-6 hours as needed,
should keep you comfortable. Should intense discomfort occur at any
time after the surgery, please contact the office.
INFECTION: If you have been
given an antibiotic please continue taking it as directed until all
of the tablets have been taken. If you notice that after a few days,
pain or swelling are increasing, or that you are experiencing an elevated
temperature, please call the doctor.
SWELLING: It is normal for
some swelling to occur after surgery, particularly in the lower jaw.
To minimize swelling after surgery, apply an ice bag wrapped in a light
towel or handkerchief to the outside of your face over the operated
area. This should be left on your face for about 10 minutes, then removed
for 20 minutes, or alternated from side-to-side, between operated areas,
for 12-24 hours after surgery. The use of both ice and the analgesic
as described above will reduce the amount and duration of facial swelling.
Please do not be concerned if mild to moderate swelling continues to
increase for up to 4 days following your procedure.
BLEEDING: It is common to
have slight bleeding for a few hours following surgery. Try to avoid
repeatedly spitting or rinsing during the first 24 hours after surgery
as this will encourage bleeding. If bleeding persists, rinse your mouth
or remove blood by wiping with a clean tissue to identify the location
of the bleeding site, and then apply a tea bag to the area with firm
but gentle continuous pressure for 15-20 minutes. Let yourself rest
for 15 minutes then repeat the application of the tea bag for a second
time if you still have slight bleeding. If excessive bleeding continues,
please call our office. Remember, most of the blood you may see in your
mouth is actually a little bit of blood mixed with a lot of saliva -
blood is a very strong “dye” and a little bit of blood will
color your saliva dramatically.
ORAL HYGIENE: Brushing and
oral hygiene procedures should be done as usual in all untreated areas.
In areas covered by periodontal dressing, brush only the chewing surfaces
of teeth. Avoid dental flossing in operated areas during the first week
following surgery. Also avoid the use of water irrigation devices such
as Water-piks or electric toothbrushes in the operated areas until instructed
to resume. The exposed operated areas should be gently swabbed with
a Q-tip (cotton tipped applicator) saturated with the prescribed mouthrinse
(Chlorhexidine) as a last oral hygiene procedure at bedtime and again
in the morning, after eating and drinking. If a chlorhexidine mouthrinse
has been prescribed, use it according to the directions on the bottle
starting the day after surgery. Avoid eating, drinking, and brushing
for 1 hour beforehand and 1 hour afterwards.
EATING AND DRINKING: Do not
try to eat until all anesthesia (numbness) has worn off. High protein
foods and liquids are desirable for 3-5 days following surgery. Semi-solid
foods may be eaten as long as this may be done comfortably. Eggs, custard,
yogurt, pasta, steamed vegetables, casseroles, cooked cereals are some
things that you might consider eating during the first few days following
your surgery. Avoid spicy, salty, acidic, very hot or very cold foods
or liquids. Also, avoid hard foods: toast crust, nuts, chips or other
crunchy or fibrous foods such as raw carrots that may become caught
between your teeth or traumatize exposed operated tissues. Please refrain
from drinking alcoholic beverages on the day of surgery.
USE OF REMOVALBLE DENTAL
APPLIANCES: If you normally wear a removable appliance your doctor will
instruct you in its use.
CARE OF THE DRESSING: If
a surgical dressing has been placed and small pieces of the dressing
break off, do not be concerned. If large portions of the dressing are
displaced or lost, and discomfort is experienced, please contact our
office. If the dressing should fall off after 4 days, and you are comfortable,
replacement of the dressing is unnecessary.
VENEERS Post Op Instructions
Plastic temporary
restorations will serve you for a short period of time while
your permanent veneer is being made. They are attached only slightly
to the underlying tooth so they can be removed easily.
If a veneer comes off, call us and we will replace it immediately. If
you are in a situation that will not allow you to come in, place the
temporary back in place with some Fixodent™ (denture adhesive).
You must still see us as soon as possible.
The size, shape, and color of the temporary does not resemble the final
veneer.
Temporary veneers may leak saliva or food onto the tooth.
Sensitivity to hot, cold,
pressure, or sweets is not uncommon. You may also see stains under the
temporaries. These will be removed prior to final cementation.
Avoid heavy brushing of
the temporaries and do not floss between them because you may pull them
off.
Your final porcelain veneers
will be as close to the natural beauty and function of teeth as possible.
They look and feel normal in every way.
Permanent Veneers
We place our veneers with the finest materials and techniques
available today. However, you should be aware of the following information
about your restorations:
As with natural teeth, avoid chewing excessively hard foods on the veneered
teeth (hard candy, ice, raw carrots, etc.) because the porcelain material
can break under extreme forces.
Proper brushing, flossing,
and regular 6-month (minimal) cleanings are essential to the long-term
stability and appearance of your veneers. Often, problems that may develop
with the veneers can be found at an early stage and repaired easily,
while waiting for a longer time may require redoing entire restorations.
The gums may recede from
the veneers, displaying discolored tooth structure underneath. This
situation usually takes place after many years and may require veneer
replacement.
Crowns
Post Op Instructions
Temporaries
are not strong. They may break or come off occasionally. If so, slip
it back on the tooth with some Fixodent™ (Denture Adhesive) and
call us for an appointment. Please do not leave the temporary out of
your mouth because the teeth will move and the final restoration will
not fit. Please do not floss around your temporary crown.
The size, shape, and color of the temporary does not resemble the final
restoration.
Temporary restorations may leak saliva or food onto the tooth. Sensitivity
to hot, cold, pressure, or sweets is not uncommon. If you feel the bite
is not correctly balanced, please call for an appointment for a simple
adjustment.
Permanent Crowns
Temporary restorations may
leak saliva or food onto the tooth. Sensitivity to hot, cold, pressure,
or sweets is not uncommon. If you feel the bite is not correctly balanced,
please call for an appointment for a simple adjustment.
After the final cementation
of your restoration, it may take a few days to get used to the new crown
or bridge. Hot and cold sensitivity is possible for a few weeks and
occasionally lasts for several months. As with the temporary, if the
bite doesn’t feel balanced please call us.
Do not chew hard or sticky
foods on the restoration for 24 hours from the time they were cemented.
The cement must set up during this time to have optimum strength.
Proper brushing, flossing,
and regular 6-month (minimal) cleanings are required to help you retain
your final restoration.
The only area that a crowned
tooth can decay is at the edge of the crown at the gum line. Often,
small problems that develop around the restorations can be found at
an early stage and corrected easily, but waiting for a longer time may
require redoing the entire restoration.
Dentures
/ Partials Post Op Instructions
Sore Spots: Usually, your
mouth will have a few “sore spots” after wearing the denture/partial
for 24 hours. These areas can be relieved with very little effort during
your next appointment.
Chewing: The new bite may not feel completely comfortable for several
weeks. We can adjust the contacting surfaces of your teeth after the
dentures/partials have settled into place.
Cleaning the Dentures/Partials
and your Mouth: Your denture/partials can be cleaned easily by using
a denture brush and a mild toothpaste. Periodic denture soaks are also
very useful (ex: Polident). We recommend leaving your partials out of
your mouth at night and soaking in water.
Dentures only: Brush your
gums with a regular toothbrush once per day to toughen and clean them.
Partials only: Use special
care to clean parts of the partial that contact any natural teeth.
Both the partial and the
natural teeth must be kept very clean on a daily basis to reduce the
chance of new dental decay starting.
We have done our best to
provide you with well-fitted, functional, and esthetic dentures/partials.
We feel confident that after a few weeks of becoming adjusted to the
new dentures/partials, you will have years of satisfaction from them.
Over time, your jawbone and gums shrink when there are teeth missing.
When this occurs, your dentures/partials will feel loose and may require
relining.
Wearing ill-fitting dentures/partials
for too long without refitting can cause severe bone loss and very serious
oral disease. Please call our office if these
symptoms occur.
Dental
Implants or Bone Graft Surgery Post Op Instructions
General Instructions
This is a "must visit" if you are going to India
for any medical treatment....
