Your treatment today involved removing the portion of your tooth that was decayed, chipped, cracked, or otherwise damaged, and filling it with a composite material.

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Anesthetic

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• If an anesthetic was administered for your treatment, 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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• You may experience pain in the teeth beside the tooth that received the filling. This is normal and does not indicate there is anything wrong with your teeth.

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• Should you still experience pain for several days after your new dental filling (such as throbbing, sharp pain or constant pain) it may be a sign that the decay is quite deep into the pulp of your tooth, and a root canal may be needed.

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

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

 

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 in temperature for 48 hours. You can eat normally as soon as you are comfortable. 

 

• Avoid all crunchy, tough or hard foods, such as: ice, popcorn, chewing gum, hard candy, mints, lozenges, nuts, peanut brittle, hard edges of pizza, tortilla chips, etc., which could fracture your weakened 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 surgery site. This will speed healing and help keep your mouth fresh and clean. 

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• Following treatment, you can 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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• After 24 hours, use a manual toothbrush with ultra soft bristles, using gentle strokes.

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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.

 

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

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Follow Up Treatment

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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