Postoperative Instructions
Crown & Bridge, Crowns, or Onlays
- You will wear temporary restorations until your permanent restoration is made.
- If your temporary falls off or breaks, save the pieces and call our Raleigh dental office. Do not bite your lips, cheeks, or scrape your gums. Children should be watched carefully to make sure they don’t do this. It will damage soft tissues and result in pain.
- Sensitivity to cold and heat, as well as any soreness, should go away in a few days.
- Brush gently and floss carefully for the first few days.
Deep Cleaning Gum Therapy
- Sensitivity to cold and heat will subside.
- Do not chew or eat until numbness subsides.
- Brush and floss as usual. Your gums may bleed a bit for a few days.
Partial Denture
- It is normal to experience some discomfort and speech problems during while getting used to your new dentures. New dentures need several adjustments to fit comfortably. To help with speech, read aloud for a few minutes every day. Your mouth will adjust, and your speech will improve.
- Remove your dentures every night to allow your gums to rest. Keep the denture in container of water or denture cleaner.
- Thoroughly brush your dentures with water before wearing them.
Extractions
- For an hour after surgery, you should place pressure on the gauze pad covering the extraction site. If bleeding continues, apply new gauze should and pressure for and additional 45 minutes.
- After surgery, place a cold compress on your face near the extraction site for 10 minutes. Remove for 5 minutes. Repeat.
- Do not eat or drink hot foods and beverages after surgery.
- Do not rinse your mouth.
- Do not use a straw.
- Do not spit.
- Do not drink carbonated beverages.
- Do not brush your teeth on the day of the surgery. Then resume normal home care, gently brushing and flossing.
- Bruising, swelling, and pain are normal – particularly if you have had a wisdom tooth extraction. Take your prescribed medication and use a cold compress on your face.
- Plan to eat soft foods, such as soups, milk shakes, fruit juice, and yogurt, for 2-3 days.
- Do not bite your lips, cheeks, or scrape your gums. Children should be watched carefully to make sure they don’t do this. It will damage soft tissues and result in pain.
Fillings
- For an hour following your visit, do not chew. Wait until numbness subsides before eating. If you had amalgam fillings placed, do not chew for 24 hours.
- Do not bite your lips, cheeks, or scrape your gums. Children should be watched carefully to make sure they don’t do this. It will damage soft tissues and result in pain.
- Sensitivity to cold and heat, as well as any soreness, should go away in a few days.
Root Canal Treatment
- Sensitivity should subside after a few days.
- Take your prescribed medication as directed.
- Because a temporary filling is on the tooth, do not bite hard for one hour after your appointment. Once the permanent filling is in place, chew carefully on the opposite side of your mouth.
- Do not bite your lips, cheeks, or scrape your gums. Children should be watched carefully to make sure they don’t do this. It will damage soft tissues and result in pain.
- Sensitivity to cold and heat, as well as any soreness, should go away in a few days.
- Brush and floss gently.
Since 2006, Dr. Ryan Galligan , a general family dentist in the Wakefield development of Raleigh NC, has provided family, pediatric, cosmetic, orthodontic, teeth whitening, dental implant, and periodontic services to dental patients in the Raleigh and Wake Forest area, including many families from Youngsville, Franklinton, Rolesville, and surrounding communities. Our team is dedicated to the families and communities we serve, so we support many local charities and non-profit organizations. Learn more about our office here at Our Practice and please call our Raleigh office to reserve your appointment with Dr. Galligan today. We’ll give your family more reasons to smile!