Pre-Op Instructions (What To Do Before Treatment)

In order to have an effective, safe dental treatment we generally advise you to take note of the following:

• Premedications: Certain medical conditions require you to be premedicated (take medicine) prior to your dental treatment. Patiens with conditions such as certain heart diseases, artificial implanted devices and infection prone  individuals may require you to take antibiotics prior to their visit. Therefore we advise you to consult with your physician or call us for guidance.
• Modifying medications intake: Some individuals are taking blood thinner medications such as Coumadin or Aspirin. These blood thinners may need to be stopped for a short time prior to certain surgical procedures. Therefore we advise you to call your physician or call us for guidance.
• Food and drinks; we prefer that you eat a light meal prior to your visit as you will be avoiding eating for al least cople of hors following dental procedures. We strongly recommend avoiding alcoholic beverages prior to your visit.
  
• Wearing loose clothing so you will be comfortable during treatment especially for along appointments. We also adivse you to refrain from putting excessive make up or heavy perfumes.
  

Post-Op Instructions (What To Do After Treatment)

The following are various regimens that should to be followed subsequent to each type of dental procedure. If you are having symptoms that are not covered here or have a dental urgent situation, please contact the office directly.

• Local Anesthesia (Novocaine): Subsequent to having a local anesthetic injection in your mouth, it is advisable to protect your lips, tongue and cheek from self biting. Additionally, you should refrain from eating for a couple of hours to avoid injuring the soft tissue of your mouth.
• Periodontal Scaling and Root Planing (Deep Cleaning): You may feel some teeth sensitivity, slight gingival bleeding, and/or soreness. These are common side effects and should be resolved within a week or two. Using warm salt water oral rinse or a mix of water and hydrogen peroxide may help reducing the soft tissue sorness and keep the mouth clean. When  tooth sensitivity persists for a longer time you may need in-office desensitizing procedure. Therefore call the office when you feel uncomfortable.
• Dental Restorations (Filling): Oftentimes and especially when caries (cavities) are deep, tooth sensitivity may be felt for quite some time. This is usually common, however, if this sensitivity is unbearable you should call our office for other desensitizing procedures or replacement of the existing restoration with a sedative (medicated) restoration. Occasionally, some restorations may feel high or awkward subsequent to the return of your oral sensation from the local anaesthetic injection. So, you should call us as soon as you can for possible adjustment.
  
• Root Canal Therapy: It is best to refrain from eating for at least 2 hours and until the anesthesia has worn off to prevent possible injury to your soft tissue. This will also allow the temporary restorative material to harden. You will most likely feel soreness in the treated tooth as well as pressure when you bite down.  For this reason, you should avoid hard and chewy foods.on this side of your mouth for at least 24 hours.  The soreness should decrease within a week or longer. Take any prescribed  medication as they are given to assist the body to reduce or eliminate  remaining infection in the tooth or surrounding tissues.  Please contact our office  if you notice any of the following symptoms :

             ~ Increasing tenderness or swelling in the area surrounding the tooth

             ~ A reaction to the medication

             ~ Loss of the temporary filling material

             ~ Tooth fracture

• Crowns and Bridges. Subsequent to preparing your teeth for a crown or a bridge,  you will get a temporary crown or bridge until the final one comes from the laboratory. Your teeth will be sensitive and your gums will be sore for some time. Therefore, try to avoid extremely hot or cold foods and beverages for the first few days. Oral rinse with non-alcoholic rinse as well as taking over the counter pain suppressing medications may be advisable. Please be careful when cleaning around the temporary restoration.  Do not pull up on the temporary when flossing this area.  Make sure to brush this area gently and not to chew any hard foods on the temporary  restoration. If your temporary restoration comes off between appointments, please call our office so that we can reapply it  properly. When having the final crown or bridge cemented you may feel less sensitivity but it should disappear shortly afterward. If it continues or you feel uncomfortable please contact our office.  Additionally, your bite may feel a little different.  This is just your mouth adjusting to the new addition.  If it still feels off in a few days, please call the office for a slight adjustment. It is important to resume regular brushing and flossing immediately following receiving the restoration. This is because a consistent daily home care routine will increase the longevity of the restoration.
   

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