Grimes Dentistry Home Care Instructions

After Cosmetic Reconstruction | After Crown and Bridge Appointments | After Tooth Extractions

After Cosmetic Reconstruction

What About Your Diet?

The answer is simple if you’re wondering whether you can drink wine after cosmetic reconstruction. Avoid drinking colored beverages such as coffee, tea, sodas, dark juices, or red wine while in temporary restorations. Water is the best thing to drink while in temporary restorations.

Minimize or avoid foods that stain, such as berries and tomato sauce. The stains from these foods and drinks can leak beneath the edges and darken the inside of the temporaries. Smoking can also stain your temporary restoration.

What About Discomfort?

Remember that it will take time to adjust to the feel of your new bite. When the bite or the position of the teeth is altered, it takes several days for the brain to recognize the changes. If you continue to detect any high spots or problems with your bite, call our office at Grimes Dentistry Phone Number 806-798-3384, so we can schedule an adjustment appointment.

It is normal to experience some heat 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 and promote healing.

A mild pain medication, such as two tablets of Tylenol or Ibuprofen (Motrin) every 4-6 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 speak normally. You may notice increased salivation. This is because your brain responds to your teeth’ new size and shape. This should return to normal in about a week.

What About Aftercare?

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 substance that can crack, chip, or damage a natural tooth can do the same to your new teeth. So, avoid hard foods such as peanut brittle, sticky candies or ice, and fingernails or pencils.

If you engage in sports, let us know so we can make a custom mouthguard for you. If you grind your teeth at night, you must wear a custom fabricated night splint! With proper aftercare, we ensure you don’t experience any long-term issues or concerns with your cosmetic reconstruction. 

Adjusting to the look and feel of your new smile might take time. If you have any questions, please let us know. Be sure and show off that beautiful new smile!

Crown & Bridge Appointments

Crowns and bridges usually take two 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 mouth’s tongue, lips, and roof may be numb.

Occasionally, a temporary crown may come off. Call us at Grimes Dentistry Phone Number 806-798-3384 if this happens and bring the temporary crown with you so we can re-cement it. The temporary needs to stay in place, as it will prevent other teeth from moving and compromising your final restoration’s fit.

Adding toothpaste or vaseline inside the temporary crown and pushing it back will often hold it in place until you can be seen in the office.

To keep your temporaries in place, avoid eating sticky foods, like candy and gum, and hard foods. Chew on the opposite side of your mouth. It is important to brush normally but floss carefully. Don’t pull up on the floss, which may dislodge the temporary; instead, pull the floss out from the side of the temporary crown.

What About Discomfort? 

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, you have persistent pain, or you have any other questions, please call our office at Grimes Dentistry Phone Number 806-798-3384.

After Tooth Extraction

After tooth extraction, a blood clot must form to stop the bleeding and begin healing. That’s why we ask you to bite on the gauze after the appointment. Replace blood-soaked gauze with fresh gauze every 20-30 minutes. You may have to do this several times.

What About Your Diet?

After the blood clot forms, it is essential not to disturb or dislodge the clot as it aids healing. Do not suck through straws, smoke, drink alcohol, or brush teeth next to the extraction site for 72 hours. Do not drink carbonated beverages or rinse with peroxide. These activities will dislodge or dissolve the clot and retard the healing process.

What About Aftercare?

Limit vigorous exercise for the next 24 hours, as this will increase blood pressure and may cause more bleeding from the extraction site. Do not swish vigorously for the first 24 hours, as we want the bleeding to stop before rinsing much.

Begin gentle, warm salt water rinsing 24 hours after the extraction. Rinse more vigorously as days pass. Swishing warm salt water around your mouth helps keep food out of the extraction site. Warm salt water washes away dead cells, makes it more difficult for bacteria to grow, and freshens your breath.

What About Discomfort? 

After tooth extraction, you may feel pain and experience some swelling. An ice pack or an unopened bag of frozen peas or corn, applied to the area, will help reduce swelling. Sleep with your head elevated. The swelling usually subsides in a few days.

Use pain medication as directed. Call the office at Grimes Dentistry Phone Number 806-798-3384 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 fluids and eat nutritious, soft food on the extraction day. You can eat normally as soon as you are comfortable.

It is essential to resume routine dental hygiene soon after surgery. You can start brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice 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 Grimes Dentistry Phone Number 806-798-3384.