Home Care Instructions
Hope you’re doing well. We wanted to provide you with some post-op instructions for the procedure/treatment we performed today. Please call us at 206-525-9110 if you have any further questions.
After Crown Appointment
It is normal to experience some discomfort after your Part I crown appointment around the gums and to temperature. You may also experience minor sensitivity to chewing for a few days or longer depending on your individual circumstances. If it isn’t improving, call the office so we can check your temporary crown to make sure your bite isn’t off . A mild pain reliever, such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen is recommended. Warm salt water rinses 2 – 3 times a day is helpful for healing any gum irritation.
If we used a local anesthetic to numb the area we treated; this numbness in your lips, teeth and tongue might last for several hours after the procedure. We advise nothing hot or eating/chewing until it wears off.
After your first appointment for crown treatment, a temporary crown is placed on the tooth. The temporary crown protects the site while the permanent crown is being made. We use a temporary cement so that the crown can be easily removed at your next appointment.
You will want to avoid anything hard, crunchy, or sticky in that area until the permanent crown is placed to avoid it breaking or coming off. To help ensure that the temporary stays on, you want to pull your floss out to the side to prevent it from popping off.
If your temporary crown comes off or breaks before your next appointment, place the temporary back on your tooth and call our office immediately. You can use vaseline to help keep it on if needed for a short time.
Permanent crown Part II appointment:
The adhesive under the permanent crown is strong and you can resume normal flossing habits 24 hours after it has been placed. You might have slight cold and pressure sensitivity again for a few days, follow guidelines above for pain relief. Avoid sticky caramel and juju bees candies as they can pull off a permanent crown.
As a reminder, It is normal to have minor sensitivity to cold, chewing, and around your gums, especially while in your temporary crown. These shouldn’t last more than a few days and will improve even more with the permanent crown.
Remember: The cement used is permanent, so you can return to eating normally. Be careful with hard chewy candies such as jolly ranchers or juju bees. It is not common, but these could take your crown off. If ever your crown comes off for any reason, call our office immediately to recement it back on.
It is normal to have minor sensitivity to cold, chewing, and in the gums. These shouldn’t last more than a few days to a few weeks. In general the symptoms should be improving within a few weeks and if lingering please call us for a follow up.
It is important to continue to floss and brush normally. Even though most of the tooth is covered by the crown, the area below the gum has a natural tooth and can get a cavity requiring additional treatment in the future.
After Filling Appointment
If we used a local anesthetic to numb the area we treated, this numbness in your lips, teeth and tongue might last for several hours after the procedure. Be careful with hot liquids and chewing until it wears off so you don’t burn your mouth or bite your tongue, lip or cheek.
Composite tooth colored fillings are set and hardened right away. Silver/Amalgam fillings set to approximately 75 to 90% of their maximum strength in around 1 hour and then reach final strength after 24 hours. Because of this, you should not chew on hard or sticky foods or chew directly on the new fillings for the first 24 hours. Composite tooth colored fillings are set and hardened right away.
Your tooth (or teeth) may be sensitive to cold or pressure from this procedure. This is COMPLETELY normal. The larger the cavity, the more sensitivity you may experience. The possible symptoms of cold or pressure will cease within a few days to a couple of weeks. In very few instances, this sensitivity could last longer than a couple of weeks. As long as your teeth and gums are continuing to feel better, (not staying the same, or getting worse) everything is normal and there is no need for concern.
Warm salt water rinses 2 – 3 times a day will help heal your gums and ease the discomfort.
Once the anesthesia has worn off and you feel as though any of the teeth we have worked on are hitting first, please give the office a call immediately. This imbalance with your bite may cause further discomfort and should be adjusted.
After Whitening Appointment- Sinsational Smiles
For the best results, it is recommended to use the silver whitening pen that was sent home with you for at least 2 weeks once a day. You may also use it as needed to touch up until your next in office whitening service. You don’t need to click the pen more than a few times once the tip is saturated. Apply it to the teeth and place the clear tray over it for 20 mins. Using this pen will continue the whitening process.
Some minor gum irritation can happen with any whitening service. This is normal and should subside within a few days.
After whitening, avoid dark foods such as coffee, tea, red wine, blueberries, curries, marinara sauce, dark sodas or any other dark pigmented foods. for at least 24 hours following. Anything that can stain your tupperware, will likely stain your teeth.
Have your teeth whitened with Sinsational Smiles immediately following your cleaning appointment or sooner if desired. Using the take home pen will help maintain the white smile you desire between appointments.
We hope you enjoy your new smile!
After Whitening Appointment- Opalescence Boost
Boost in-office whitening is a procedure designed to lighten the color of your teeth to produce maximum whitening results in the shortest amount of time. The whitening gel is a combination of 40% hydrogen peroxide gel and activator.
Some minor gum irritation and teeth sensitivity can happen with any whitening service. This is normal and should subside within a few days. If needed an over the counter pain reliever such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen can help relieve any discomfort.
After whitening, avoid dark foods such as coffee, tea, red wine, blueberries, curries, marinara sauce, dark sodas or any other dark pigmented foods for at least 24 hours following. Anything that can stain your tupperware, will likely stain your teeth.
It is recommended to touch up with another whitening service every 6 – 12 months.
We hope you enjoy your new smile!
Custom Whitening Tray Instructions
Congratulations on your new whitening system purchase! This is an exciting, rewarding, and rejuvenating experience.
Prior to your whitening application, brush and floss your teeth. The whitening gel will work better if it is in contact with a clean tooth.
To use your trays, start by clicking the tip off of the whitening syringe. You need less whitening gel than you think. A small bead is all you need per tooth. Place gel in trays and wear it for up to 30 minutes. Try to relax and not move around when wearing trays. The less saliva that gets in the trays, the more concentrated the gel will be creating better results.
Some minor gum irritation and teeth sensitivity can happen with any whitening service. This is normal and should subside within a few days. If needed an over the counter pain reliever such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen can help relieve any discomfort. Rinsing with an over the counter fluoride rinse such as A.C.T. can help as well. You may need to whiten every other day to decrease sensitivity. If the sensitivity is severe and unmanageable, contact our office immediately.
At the start of the whitening process, you may notice some white spots on the teeth. Don’t worry, this is part of the whitening process and will blend in as your entire tooth gets whiter.
Results can be quite dramatic. However upon completion of the whitening process, the color will stabilize within 2 – 3 weeks. This is normal and actually looks more natural.
Long term results vary from patient to patient. This can depend on things like smoking and the consumption of foods/drinks that can stain the teeth such as coffee or red wine.
Whiten everyday or every other day until you reach your desired shade/color. Touch up treatments may be needed every 6 – 12 months. This can usually be accomplished with 3-5 days at home treatments.
Existing restorations (fillings, crowns, veneers) will not whiten. If desired, these restorations can be redone in order to better match your new smile.
We look forward to seeing your new smile! Please call us at 206-525-9110 if you have any questions.
Night Guard Instructions
The custom made mouth guard will work best when used every night consistently. You will adjust to it faster and provide the maximum protection for your teeth. You may find yourself taking it out in the middle of the night. This is usually just an adjustment period that lasts up to 2 – 3 weeks. Pnlacing it in your mouth earlier than bedtime will help you adjust to the feeling of having something in your mouth If after 3 -4 weeks you’re unable to keep it in throughout the night, please call the office so we can adjust the guard to fit more comfortably.
The adjustments are included in the service for the first 90 days if any adjustments are needed.
Brush and floss before placing your night guard. If you have been instructed to run it under warm water for 20 seconds do so before placement. This allows the internal of the mouthguard to soften and be placed easier. Not all night guards need this.
It will require cleaning after each use to reduce the formation of bacteria. You may use a toothbrush or denture brush with hot soap and water or toothpaste.
Bring your night guard in for routine cleanings and we will sanitize it here in our ultrasonic machine.
When getting dental work done, it is recommended to bring your night guard with you to ensure that it still fits well after new dental work has been completed.
The care will extend the life of your night guard and ensure it is protecting your teeth well. The normal life expectancy is 2-5 years depending on your clenching/grinding habits.
Please call us at 206-525-9110 if you have any questions.
After Sealant/ Preventative Resin Appointment
Your new sealants are meant to help fill in the tiny grooves on the chewing surfaces of your molars. The grooves are so small that even a single tooth brush bristle cannot fit in them to clean the plaque out. Which can cause a cavity over time as bacteria accumulates in these deep grooves.
We cleaned the surfaces and placed a flowable sealant material that is hardened with a special light. The material is set and hardened immediately. Allowing you to be able to eat and drink right away.
As part of your routine dental exams with Dr. Shackelton, will check to make sure the sealant material is still present. It is natural for the sealant material to wear and need replacing over time and this varies for each individual.
For Preventative Resins: a very shallow filling for a cavity that has just begun, if we used a local anesthetic to numb the area this numbness in your lips, teeth and tongue might last for several hours after the procedure. Be careful with hot liquids and chewing until it wears off so you don’t burn your mouth or bite your tongue or cheek.
Please call us at 206-525-9110 if you have any questions.
After Oral Surgery Appointment
After an 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 20 to 30 minutes after the extraction. If bleeding or oozing continues after you remove the gauze pad, place another gauze pad and bite firmly for another thirty minutes. You will repeat this process until the bleeding has stopped.
After the blood clot forms it is important to protect it, especially for the next 24 hours.
DON’T: smoke, suck through a straw, rinse your mouth vigorously, or clean the teeth next to the extraction site. These activities will dislodge the clot and slow down healing. Limit yourself to calm activities for the first 24 hours, this keeps your blood pressure lower, reduces bleeding and helps the healing process.
After the tooth is extracted you may feel some pain and have some swelling. You can use an ice bag to keep this to a minimum. The swelling usually is most pronounced at 72 hours.
Use pain medication only as directed, call the office if it doesn’t seem to be working. If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time, even if all symptoms and signs of infection are gone. Drink lots of fluids and eat only soft nutritious foods on the day of the extraction. Don’t use alcoholic beverages and avoid hot and spicy foods. You can begin eating normally in 3-5 days or as soon as it is comfortable.
Gently rinse your mouth with salt water three times a day beginning 24 hours after the extraction (a tsp. of salt in a cup of warm water). Also, rinse gently after meals, it helps keep food out of the extraction site. It is very important to resume your normal dental routine after 24 hours; this should include brushing your teeth and tongue and flossing at least once a day. This speeds healing and helps keep your breath and mouth fresh.
Call us right away at 206-525-9110 if you have heavy bleeding, severe pain, continued swelling after two or three days, or a reaction to the medication.
After Root Canal Appointment
Root canal therapy may take two or more appointments to complete. 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 or hot foods and drinks until the numbness has completely worn off.
Between appointments it is common (and not a problem) for a small portion of your temporary filling to wear away or break off. 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 (a tsp. of salt in a cup of warm water, rinse-swish-spit).
If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them as prescribed, even if all symptoms and signs of infection are gone. To protect the tooth and help keep your temporary in place, avoid eating sticky foods (especially gum), hard foods, and if possible, chew only on the opposite side of your mouth. It’s important to continue to brush and floss normally.
Usually, the last step after root canal treatment is the placement of a crown on the tooth. A crown covers and protects the tooth from breaking in the future. If your bite feels uneven, if you have persistent swelling or pain, or you have any other questions or concerns, please call our office.
After Implant Crown Appointment
If you have a screw retained implant crown, there is no cement used for the seating of your crown. There is a screw that is tightened to ensure it stays on. If it is a non screw retained implant, a temporary cement is used to cement the crown. We use temporary cement in case there were ever an issue, we would be able to remove the implant crown without having to make a whole new crown.
Be careful with hard chewy candies such as jolly ranchers or jujubees. It is not common, but these could take your crown off. If ever your crown comes off for any reason, call our office immediately to recement/screwed back on.
Please call us at 206-525-9110 if you have any questions.
After Temporary Flipper Appointment
Learning to wear a flipper takes time and patience. The first few weeks will be a period of adjustment—your flipper will probably need to be adjusted by the dentist or trained dental assistant, and you will need to adjust to wearing the flipper. The following suggestions will help to answer some questions you may have.
COMFORT
Soreness may develop in one or more areas of the gums, during the period of adjustment.
If your teeth were extracted today, do not remove the flipper until you return tomorrow for the first adjustment. (If the flipper is removed after immediate placement following extraction, the tissues may swell enough to prevent the replacement of the flipper for a few days!)
If no teeth were extracted today, please wear your flipper for at least the four hours just prior to any adjustment appointment, so that we can more easily see the areas that need to be adjusted.
NEVER TRY TO ADJUST YOUR OWN FLIPPER! (We don’t want you to incur a fee to repair the flipper if it breaks while trying to adjust it.) After each adjustment visit, warm salt rinses (either with the flipper in place or without it) are the best remedy for sore spots. Mix about 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt in an 8-oz. glass of warm water, swish a small amount of the solution near the sore spots for several seconds (spit), and repeat until the entire glass is finished. This can be done every hour, as needed. Please note that rinsing can help a sore spot to feel better, but it won’t help the area to heal if no adjustment has been done.
Please note that your flipper can act like an orthodontic retainer—it can keep the remaining teeth in exactly the same position. If a flipper is not worn, for any reason (discomfort, sickness, etc.), for enough time, the teeth can shift positions enough to not allow the flipper to fit anymore! The amount of time it takes for teeth to shift varies with the individual patient—for some, it only takes a few days. If you have soreness associated with your flipper, please call for an adjustment appointment immediately.
Do not form habits of loosening your flipper with your tongue or lips, or of biting in unnatural positions. Please DO NOT use any adhesive or home relining material inside your flipper, unless directed to do so by the dentist. If you have an issue with the flipper’s retention, please discuss it with us.
EATING
A flipper is designed only for esthetics (“looks”), not for eating. However, most patients learn to eat with their flippers in place. You should begin by chewing relatively soft food that is cut into small pieces. Take small bites, and chew on both sides of your mouth at the same time. Hard or chewy foods (raw vegetables, french bread, etc.) should be avoided until after your period of adjustment. It may be necessary to remove and clean the flipper/rinse your mouth after eating.
SPEECH
At first, you may have trouble speaking clearly with your flipper, especially due to the new position of the tongue against it. Your tongue is fantastically adaptable; it can adapt to almost any change in a week’s time. You can gain confidence in your speech more quickly by practicing speaking more often, such as reading aloud.
CLEANING
Use warm—NOT HOT—water to clean or soak your flipper. Brush your flipper thoroughly at least twice a day with a denture brush. Do not use regular toothpaste or any other abrasive cleaner (for example, baking soda) on any flipper teeth that show in your smile, because these will scratch and dull the plastic denture teeth, causing them to appear less natural. You may use either “denture” toothpaste or any non-abrasive liquid soap to clean the dentures with the brush. You may soak the flipper periodically in one of the commercial soaking solutions labeled for use with partial dentures, found in any drug or grocery store.
When your flipper is out of your mouth, it should be kept wet (either in water, a water/mouthwash solution, or a commercial soaking solution). If the flipper acrylic (plastic) is allowed to dry out for too long, it may distort or be more likely to crack or break.
TISSUE HEALTH
We recommend quite strongly that you DO NOT wear your flipper for approximately 8 hours each day, either while sleeping or during the day. Research has shown that constant day-and-night pressure on the tissues beneath your flipper contributes significantly to the amount and degree of deterioration of the bone, and shrinkage of the gums with it. A painless fungus infection develops in the gums if they are covered by the flipper all day and night (removing the flipper for cleaning isn’t enough time for the gums to “breathe”).
Remember to continue to properly brush and floss your remaining teeth daily.
