Veneer
preparation involves the removal of a small amount of tooth structure.
An impression is taken & sent to the lab to fabricate the
custom veneers. During this time your Dentist may place temporary
veneers on your teeth, Temporary Veneers are made of either acrylic
or composite material. They are very fragile and are attached
to the underlying tooth structure with temporary cement and can
be easily dislodged.
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) till you can come in. 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. Temporary veneers
also stain very easily. Avoid heavy brushing of the temporaries
and do not floss between them because you may pull them off.
Your
permanent porcelain veneers will be as close to the natural teeth
as possible. Your Dentist may even send you for custom shading
to closely duplicate your adjoining natural teeth.
Permanent
porcelain veneers are bonded to your teeth using the finest materials.
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.
If not your gums may recede reveal the underlying discolored tooth
structure requiring replacement of your veneers.
Pain
and sensitivity following teeth whitening is common. You may be
sensitive to cold air & fluids; however the pain will fade
away within 24-36 hours.
It
is important not to consume any colorants in the first 24- hours
following the procedure. Anything that colors such as red wine,
dark colas, coffee, tea, red sauces, soya sauces and smoking must
be avoided.
Following
the whitening procedure an instant lightening is usually seen
in most cases. However rebound is not uncommon. On an average
during the first month there may be loss of one shade unit, another
shade unit during the next 6 months and another shade unit during
the subsequent six months. Everyone responds differently, so your
rebound effect may be less or greater than the averages stated
above. Rebound means that after about two years your teeth may
have returned to the color prior to bleaching.
Rebound
MUST be managed, this is achieved through any combination
of:
If
you require more than just a regular cleaning your Dentist /Hygienist
may prescribe a deep cleaning (Scaling and Root Planing).It is
usually done in sections. One half of the mouth is cleaned in
one session & you will have to come back for the other half.
First the teeth & the gums are anaesthetized then the teeth
are cleaned using a combination of ultrasonic & hand instruments.
It is normal to experience cold & hot sensitivity after the
appointment. Your teeth may even be sensitive to chewing. Your
gums will be sore and may bleed.
Sometimes
your Dentist /Hygienist may advise the placement of an antibiotic
( arestin , perio-chip) in the pocket if it greater than 4mm.
In that case, patients should postpone brushing for 12 hours and
avoid the use of interproximal cleaning devices(flossing) for
10 days. Also patients should avoid eating hard, crunchy or sticky
foods for 1 week.
After
the completion of treatment it is important to follow good home
care which includes regular brushing, flossing, using a mouth
rinse (prescription or over the counter).Your Dentist / Hygienist
may put you on a 3 -4 month follow up care. Failure to comply
with it will return your gum condition back to square one. Regular
follow up care will create an environment for the gums and bone
to heal and will prevent further destruction. Gum disease is a
silent disease and the importance of follow up care cannot be
overemphasized.
Following
your filling appointment if an anesthetic has been used, your
lips, tongue and cheek may be numb for several hours after the
appointment. Avoid 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 appointment. Injection sites may also be sore. Over
the counter Ibuprofen (Motrin) or Tylenol (one tablet every 4
hours as needed for pain) work well to alleviate the tenderness.
Once the numbness is completely worn off, if you feel that the
filled teeth come in contact prior to the rest of the teeth contact
our office for an adjustment.
You
may chew with your composite (tooth colored) fillings as soon
as the anesthetic completely wears off, since they are fully set
when you leave the office. If you chose the silver fillings do
not eat on that side for the next eight hours since silver fillings
take longer to achieve their complete set strength.
Crowns
and Bridges are usually completed in two appointments. Following
anesthesia the teeth are prepared for a permanent bridge/crown
and an impression is taken. This impression is very important.
Your dentist may have to take more than one impression. It dictates
the precision of your permanent bridge or crown. Then a temporary
bridge/ crown are placed on the teeth for protection. The size,
shape, and color of the temporary do not resemble the final restoration.
A temporary bridge/crown is easily removed; therefore care must
be taken not to dislodge it before your permanent bridge/crown
is placed. Do not chew sticky foods such as caramel or chewing
gum. When flossing, pull the floss out the side; do not pop it
through the contact with the tooth next to it. You will not be
able to floss between the teeth of your temporary bridge. If your
temporary bridge /crown comes off, you can place some Fixodent
(available at any pharmacy) inside it and put it back on, then
call our office during normal business hours and we will re-cement
it Do not leave your temporary off, even if you have no discomfort.
If you feel the bite is not correctly balanced, please call for
an appointment for a simple adjustment. Without a temporary bridge
to hold your teeth in place, your teeth can move causing your
new bridge not to fit. If that occurs, you would have to purchase
another bridge.
Your
gums may be sore. Warm salt water rinses will speed healing. You
may have sensitivity to hot or cold. This is common and normal
since the temporary is not an accurate fit of the prepared teeth.
If you feel like you are biting first or harder on your temporary
or permanent bridge, call us for an adjustment or you will develop
a sore tooth.
Be
sure to brush and floss your new bridge. With a bridge, you will
need special floss threaded or other aids to reach and clean all
areas properly.
Root
canal therapy often takes two or more appointments to complete
depending on the severity of infection. At the start of treatment
your dentist may isolate the tooth with a rubber dam to prevent
salivary contamination of the canal system and protect you from
the irrigants used during the procedure. A temporary filling or
crown is placed to protect the tooth between appointments. After
each appointment when anesthetic has been used, your lips, teeth
and tongue may be numb for several hours after the appointment.
Avoid any chewing until the numbness has completely worn off.
If the tooth was asymptomatic to start with there are usually
no flare –ups between appointments. But if you came in with a
severe toothache or a swelling it will take time to heal and expect
to have flare-ups between appointments.
Between
appointments it is common for a small portion of your temporary
filling to wear away or break off. You may even have a bad taste.
If the entire filling falls out, or if a temporary crown comes
off, call us so that it can be replaced.
It's
normal to experience some discomfort for several days after a
root canal appointment, especially when chewing. To control discomfort,
take pain medication as recommended. To further reduce pain and
swelling rinse three times a day with warm salt water.
If
antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them as prescribed,
even if all symptoms and signs of infection are gone. Since the
tooth is very fragile following treatment avoid eating sticky
and hard foods. Avoid chewing on that side until the permanent
crown is placed. The permanent crown will protect the tooth from
breaking in future.
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.
You may have to do this several times. If bleeding still persists,
biting on a moist tea bag wrapped in gauze may help control the
oozing from the surgical site. Tea has an ingredient that promotes
blood clotting.
After
the blood clot forms, it is important not to disturb or dislodge
the clot as it aids healing. Does 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.
Failure
to comply with the above instructions will result in dislodgement
of the clot and severe throbbing pain at the extraction site,
since the bone is now exposed to the oral environment. 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 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.
These
dentures are delivered as soon as the remaining non-restorable
teeth are removed. They serve as a bandage to the sockets and
help in controlling the bleeding. For the next 24 hours do not
remove the dentures from your mouth. Apply firm pressure by biting
on a gauze pad for 30-45 minutes following the appointment. You
may have to repeat this several times. You may apply cold pack
externally to control bleeding and swelling. Your immediate dentures
will contain the swelling. Take the prescribed pain medication
and antibiotics. Do not rinse your mouth vigorously. Restrict
your diet to soft and cold foods. It is normal to see your pillow
stained with blood. Do not panic. The following morning gently
rinse your mouth.
As
your sockets heal your dentures will get loose and will need to
be adjusted several times. Learning to wear your new dentures
(particularly full dentures) is much like learning a new sport.
It takes practice and patience. Try not to become discouraged
at first. Wear your dentures regularly so your dentist can locate
the sore spots when you go in for an adjustment.
You
may salivate more when you first get your denture. This is normal
and usually stops anywhere from within the first few minutes to
a few days. It is important that you practice talking. Talk to
yourself, read aloud and sing. You should sound normal within
a very short time.
You
will also need to practice eating. Do not plan to eat your first
meal in public. Cut your food into small bites, eat easy to chew
foods and chew slowly. Some people feel more comfortable wearing
adhesives under their dentures (particularly full dentures). You
can experiment with over the counter adhesives. It is important
to make sure you remove the entire adhesive each day when you
clean your dentures.
At
the end of 3 months your Dentist will reline your denture in house
to make them fit tighter. Bone usually takes 365 days to completely
heal. At the end of a year your Dentist will send your dentures
for a lab reline. It is usually done within a day so be prepared
to take a day off.
Transitional
dentures are only for the period of gum and bone healing and your
Dentist may recommend permanent dentures.
The
removable partial or full denture must be removed at least 8 hours
each day, preferably at bedtime. Letting the denture stay in the
mouth 24 hours a day will cause you to develop sores and fungus
under it. It should also be removed and cleaned after meals. When
you take it out at bedtime, clean it with a brush and soak it
in water, mouthwash or a denture cleaner. Do not let the denture
dry out, as this can cause it to warp. When rinsing and brushing
your denture over the sink, it is best to place a wash cloth in
the basin with some water to cushion the denture should you drop
it. The acrylic will break if dropped.
Even
if you wear a full denture, it is still important to see your
dentist regularly. Your dentures should be checked routinely,
along with both the fit and the bite. A poorly fitting denture
can cause problems with the underlying tissues and bone loss.
You will also be checked for oral cancer and other diseases that
can show up in the mouth.
