After you complete your treatment, Dr. Scott Butts will provide you with instructions to help you recover and return to your normal activities. Please follow these instructions closely to get the best results from your treatment and to recover without any complications. If you have any questions, or to schedule an appointment with our dentist in Holly Springs, North Carolina, please contact Avent Ferry Family Dentistry at 919-372-3400 and speak with a member of our team.
After Cosmetic Dental Reconstruction
After you receive dental reconstruction keep in mind that it will take several days for you to adjust to the new feel of your bite. If you continue to detect high spots or problems with your bite after a few days, please call our office and schedule an appointment so we can make adjustments.
Expect to experience some sensitivity to hot and cold for a few days while your teeth recover. You may also experience some soreness in your gums. We recommend a warm salt water rinse (1 tsp. of salt in 8 oz. of warm water) three times a day to help reduce pain and swelling. You can also take mild pain medication to ease any discomfort.
We recommend that you:
- Continue to brush and floss daily, as plaque removal is crucial for the long-term success of your teeth, smile and oral health.
- Avoid foods that can crack, chip or damage your teeth.
- Minimize foods and drinks that can stain your teeth.
- Avoid smoking or the use of tobacco products.
- Ask our dentist about an athletic mouth guard if you play sports or participate in other recreational athletics.
After Crowns or Bridges
Dental crowns and bridges typically take two appointments to complete. After the first appointment our dentist may place a temporary crown or bridge to protect your teeth until your final restoration is complete. During this time, we recommend that you:
- Avoid eating and drinking hot beverages until the numbness from your initial appointment has worn off.
- Call us immediately if your temporary comes off, and bring the temporary crown with you so we can re-cement it.
- Avoid sticky and hard foods while wearing the temporary, and if possible, chew on the opposite side of your mouth.
- Brush normally, but be careful when flossing and avoid pulling up on the floss as this may dislodge the temporary. Instead, pull the floss out from the side of the temporary.
It is normal to experience some temperature and pressure sensitivity after each appointment. This should subside several days after your final restoration is placed. If your bite feels uneven or if you have persistent pain, please contact our office.
After Tooth Extraction
After your tooth extraction you should bite down on a gauze pad for 30-45 minutes to halt the bleeding. If bleeding or oozing persists place another gauze pad and bite down firmly for another 30 minutes. You may need to repeat this process several times.
We recommend that you:
- Do not rinse vigorously, suck on straws, smoke, drink alcohol or brush the teeth next to the extraction site for 72 hours.
- Avoid vigorous exercise for 24 hours.
- Use an ice pack or cold pack to minimize swelling.
- Take pain medications as prescribed and use all pain medications as directed by our dentist.
- Use antibiotics as prescribed.
- Drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated and maintain a soft diet on the day of the extraction. You can resume a normal diet as soon as you are comfortable doing so.
- Resume your normal dental routine of brushing and flossing after 24 hours.
You should be able to resume normal activities within a few days. If you experience severe pain, heavy bleeding, continued swelling or have a reaction to medication, please call our office at once.
After Dental Fillings
When you receive a dental filling our dentist will provide a local anesthetic to numb the area during treatment. Avoid chewing or drinking hot beverages after your appointment until this anesthetic has completely worn off. It is easy to bite or burn your tongue, lips or cheeks while numb. You may chew with your composite fillings as soon as your anesthetic wears off.
You may experience some sensitivity to heat, cold or pressure after your filling, and your gums may be sore as well. You can use mild pain relievers to alleviate discomfort. If sensitivity persists beyond a few days or increases, or if your bite feels uneven or you experience persistent pain, please contact our office.