Temporary Crown Care Instructions
FOOD: NO hard, chewy or sticky foods on the side where the temporary is! Avoid: gum, caramels, carrots, apples, gummy bears, jolly ranchers, etc. If you have the temporary in the front, do not bite into any foods. Break or cut your food into chewable pieces.
BRUSHING AND FLOSSING: Brush area well and keep the tooth as clean as normal. By not keeping the tooth clean will cause gum disease and bleeding. Rinse with warm, salt water if your gums are sore. When flossing, pop the floss through the area, clean in-between, and then slide the whole piece of floss through the side! Do not pop the floss back out as this may dislodge your temporary crown. You can also tie a knot in the floss and slide the floss through the side to help dislodge any stubborn food particles.
IF YOUR TEMPORARY CROWN COMES OFF: CALL US. Although the tooth may feel “okay”, the tooth can shift (move) causing the permanent crown to not fit properly. We would like to have the temporary back in place within 24 hours or sooner. The use of a dental denture adhesive from a drug store can be used if you cannot get to the office Do NOT re-cement your temporary crown with Super Glue! Super Glue is very toxic and can ‘burn’ the tooth causing damage to the nerve.
PAIN: You may experience some discomfort after the anesthetic wears off and your tooth may also feel sensitive to hot or cold until we get your permanent crown cemented in place. If we have given you pain medicine please take as prescribed. Any over-the-counter pain medication you take for minor aches and pains should help alleviate the pain. If your regular over-the-counter medication does not help with the pain, please call our office for further instructions.
BITE FEELS OFF: If your bite feels ‘off’ or ‘not even’ – call us so we can make an appointment to adjust your bite. Biting too hard on this tooth can cause the tooth to ache. Please don’t feel that you can ‘just get used to it’! You may damage the temporary and the tooth!
Post Treatment Instructions Following Non-Surgical Endodontic Treatment: Avoid eating or drinking hot foods or beverages until numbness has entirely dissipated.
Do not intake alcohol or other recreational drugs while you are taking pain medication for treatment of your tooth.
The tooth may be tender for several days as a result of the manipulation during treatment. Unless specified by the doctor, begin taking Ibuprofen, Advil, or Motrin (3 tablets of 200 mg. Or 600 mg every 6 hours for the first two days following treatment. Tylenol (2 tablets of 500 mg every 6 hours) can be used as an alternative or in addition to Ibuprofen, Advil or Motrin for three consecutive days whether or not you are experiencing discomfort. Should you experience discomfort that cannot be controlled with the above medications, or should swelling develop, please contact our office immediately.
Rinse your mouth with warm salt water (one-half teaspoon of table salt to one glass warm water). Repeat several times each day until tenderness is gone
Avoid chewing on the treated tooth until all tenderness has disappeared; Should pain become severe or should swelling develop or any other condition that causes you concern, please contact our office at any time, including after office hours.
Brush your teeth as usual Although the root or roots of your tooth are permanently sealed, the outer surface of your tooth is sealed with a temporary restoration. PLEASE CONTACT our office for your permanent restoration which is usually a crown.
Follow Up Appointments: Following the initial endodontic treatment, some cases require that you return to our practice for a follow-up appointment to evaluate the progress of healing. This appointment will require only a few minutes and no additional fee will be charged for the first check-up visit.