Your treatment today consisted of the placement of one or more temporary restorations.  This means you will see an immediate but not final result, which may include a whiter, straighter smile and stronger teeth. It is essential that this temporary restoration be in place for the entire time before you receive your permanent crown, bridge or veneers. It is meant to protect your prepared tooth and to maintain the space and position of your teeth. Drifting of the teeth can occur if the temporary is left off, even for a short time. This could also cause the final crown not to fit, resulting in more costly treatment.

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Anesthetic

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• Your lips, teeth and tongue may be numb for several hours after the appointment.  Avoid any chewing and hot foods or liquids until the numbness has completely worn off.  It is easy to bite or burn your tongue or lip while numb. 

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• It is recommended that you take some Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) before the anesthetic completely wears off.  This will help with any swelling or pain at the injection sites where your anesthetic was administered. 

 

Pain & Discomfort​

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• After the procedure you may feel some pain and experience some swelling. To reduce swelling, apply an ice pack to the area for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off while you are awake. After 36 hours, ice has no beneficial effect and can make swelling and pain worse. DO NOT apply the ice pack directly to your skin; rather, use a paper towel to prevent irritation to the skin.

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• Take pain medications as prescribed. Do not take medications that you are allergic to.  If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time, even if signs and symptoms of infection are gone.

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• If you have heavy bleeding, severe pain, continued swelling for 2-3 days, or a reaction to the medication, please call our office immediately.  

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• Your tooth may be sensitive to temperature, pressure and even certain types of food or sweets. The sensitivity may only last for 3 - 5 days.

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• If it seems that the temporary contacts before your other teeth when you chew or close, or contacts heavier than your other teeth, it can make the tooth sensitive.  Please call our office for a bite adjustment as soon as possible.

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• Temporary crowns are not strong. They may occasionally break or become dislodged. If this happens, please contact our office immediately, bring your crown with you and we will replace it. If you are unable to contact us, replace the temporary crown on your tooth as soon as possible using denture adhesive (available at the pharmacy) to hold it in place until you can contact us.

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• You cannot put your temporary back on incorrectly because it will only fit one way. Caution: If the temporary crown seems as though it will not stay in place securely, do not wear it when you sleep.

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• Stiffness of the jaw muscles may cause difficulty in opening your mouth. This will usually resolve within a few days.

 

Diet

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• Drink lots of fluids and eat nutritious soft food on the day of the procedure. Avoid foods and drinks that are hot or cold in temperature for 48 hours. You can eat normally as soon as you are comfortable. 

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• Avoid all crunchy, tough or hard foods, such as: ice, popcorn kernels, hard candy, mints, lozenges, nuts, peanut brittle, hard edges of pizza, tortilla chips, etc., which could break the crown. Avoid putting strain of any kind on the crown.

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• Whenever possible, try to chew on the opposite side from the tooth with the temporary until you have a permanent crown in place. Avoid putting strain of any kind on the treated tooth.

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Oral Hygiene

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• It is important to resume your normal dental routine after 24 hours. This should include gentle brushing with an ultra soft brush and flossing your teeth at least twice a day, except at the treatment site. This will speed healing and help keep your mouth fresh and clean. 

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• Your gum tissue may be tender for a short time after treatment. Rinse with warm salt water (one teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water) 2-3 times a day to get relief from any soreness and to help keep the treated area clean and free of any debris.

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• No commercial mouthwash is to be used during this time (as it is very irritating) but an antibacterial rinse may be prescribed by your dentist if necessary. 

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• Occasionally, a small amount of unhealthy or excessive gum tissue may have been removed with a laser. If so, do not disturb the area for 48 hours, except for rinsing as explained above. After this time period, gentle brushing is recommended. 

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• Do not brush or floss too vigorously around your temporary crown. Remember it is important to keep the area clean—but use caution and a gentle touch. If you are able to floss, remove the floss by gently pulling it out to the side (toward your cheek) rather than pulling it up between the teeth, as this could dislodge the temporary.

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• Use a manual toothbrush with ultra soft bristles. Brush in a gentle up or down motion, do not use circular motions.

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• Do not use an electric toothbrush or a waterpik for 2 weeks following your procedure. 

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Activities

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• Sleep with your head in an elevated position for the first few nights if you do not have any physical limitations.

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• It is important to remember that while temporaries are strong they need to be treated with care. Biting on ice, grinding your teeth, or using your teeth as tools to separate something or tear off something not edible will put a greater strain and impact on the temporaries and cause them to break. 

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• Avoid activities that increase biting force and stresses, such as sports and other activities that cause heavy clenching (like weight lifting) and high stress occupations which may cause a frequent clenching and grinding during work.  

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• Do not drink any alcoholic beverages while taking the prescribed medication.

 

Follow Up Treatment

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• Your treatment is not complete until the permanent crown is placed.  It is extremely important that you return for your scheduled appointment to complete treatment.  A longer delay can result in shifting teeth, alterations in your bite, and changes in the gums, causing the permanent crown not to fit.  This would require starting over, which would be very costly to you.  You can avoid this potential extra expense by completing your treatment as soon as possible.

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• Temporary crowns are not meant to keep out tooth decay for an extended period of time. By the time you felt anything wrong, the decay could have advanced deep enough to require root canal treatment, or even loss of your tooth.  

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The success of your treatment depends on keeping all of your scheduled appointments and maintaining your home care as explained by your dentist.  Failure to follow these instructions will result in serious complications that will require further treatment and incur additional fees.

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Following most dental procedures there may or may not be pain, depending on your threshold of pain.  You will be provided with a prescription for appropriate medication for discomfort.  In most cases, a non-narcotic pain regimen will be given consisting of acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil).  If a narcotic has been prescribed, follow the directions carefully.  If you have any questions about these medications interacting with other medications you are presently taking, please call our office, your physician and/or your pharmacist.

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IF FOR ANY REASON YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR CONDITION, NOTIFY DR MORRIS OR A MEMBER OF OUR OFFICE STAFF IMMEDIATELY BY CALLING THE NUMBERS BELOW IN THE ORDER LISTED.

 

Office (780) 962-3414

The cell number provided by your primary dentist at our office

WestView Health Centre (780) 968-3600 or your nearest hospital