PORCELAIN

TEMPORARY TEETH

Numbness of your lip, tongue or palate may persist for several hours. Do not chew gum, eat, drink hot or cold liquids or smoke until the anesthetic has worn off to prevent injury from accidentally biting or burning oneself.

You may experience soreness on the teeth, the surrounding gums, the injection sites or the jaw joint. If these occur, apply moist heat to the affected area and take an analgesic/anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen or similar product (if medically able to do so).

If you are in temporary teeth, please avoid sticky or crunchy foods to avoid loosening or fracture.  If the bite feels “high” on the temporary restoration, please call the office to have it adjusted. Failure to do so can result in toothache or fracture of the temporary restoration.  Avoid any foods that may cause staining: red wine, coffee, berries, soy sauce, beetroot, curry, tomato-based sauces, fruit juices, beetroot, cola, tea, and balsamic vinegar.  Drink coffee or wine through a straw if possible. Try to brush right after. If you’re not able to brush right away, swish water around your mouth to wash away and reduce the concentration of any staining substances.

Gently brush your temporary teeth daily.  Avoid flossing in between temporary teeth but gently brush around them, especially nears the gums. Continue to floss any other teeth not getting work done.  If the temporary teeth comes loose or falls out, you can get temporary dental glue at your local convenience or drug store such as CVS. Multiple teeth that are attached together or less likely to come loose. You can also, call our office to have them re-attached.  Use the syringe provided to gently rinse away any food in between your temporary teeth.  If you have pain or bleeding that won't stop, please call our office for further instruction.

FINAL PORCELAIN - VENEERS, CROWNS, BRIDGES, IMPLANT CROWNS, IMPLANT-SUPPORTED PROSTHESIS

Once your final porcelain dental restoration(s) have been installed, it is important you ensure their lasting strength and beauty. Proper home care (brushing, flossing, WaterPik, etc) will preserve their original shine as well as maintain the health of your surrounding gum and bone. By avoiding certain foods and habits, you will minimize the threat of breaking or discoloring your new teeth. Regular hygiene maintenance appointments at our office will help us to monitor and make sure your veneers stay in good shape.  Call us if you have any questions and we'd be more than happy to answer any questions.

SENSITIVITY

Mild sensitivity is common following the permanent placement of your dental restorations. If your bite feels unbalanced, please call us for a short appointment to have your bite adjusted. The gum surrounding your new teeth, as well as your jaw muscles, may be tender for a few days. Your teeth themselves may be sensitive to cold, hot and chewing. Sensitivity to cold takes longest to resolve, but generally your teeth will feel normal again within a month or two. If sensitivity persists for more than 3 months, please let us know.

CAUTION

Avoid drinking tea, coffee, red wine, colas and tobacco products. If you do, rinse your mouth with water afterwards and brush as soon as possible. The longer the substance sits on your teeth, the more time it has to saturate and stain your teeth. The porcelain restorations are bonded to your tooth with a very strong resin veneer cement. It’s important to brush your teeth regularly and come to your cleaning appointments for proper maintenance. Avoid acidic drinks and foods because this can weaken the bond strength of the cement. If the bonding deteriorates, then the edges of the porcelain restoration may start to stain or create an opening where a cavity can develop. Over time, this “open margin” may accelerate the process of debonding the veneer or crown. This can cause them to fall off or break. Getting regular cleanings and periodic xrays can help us monitor the condition of your porcelain restorations. Porcelain itself does not stain but it can accumulate rough debris (plaque) and this can stain. Fortunately it can be cleaned off by brushing or a hygienist can professionally clean them. The part that can be stained is any part of the tooth that does not have porcelain (your natural tooth). Smoking and chewing tobacco can cause severe discoloration of your teeth and should be avoided.  Also, please avoid intensely colored foods and beverages such as berries, tea, coffee, red wine and dark soda, fruit juice; acidic foods and beverages such as citrus fruits, iced teas and sodas.

AVOID

Veneers and crowns can chip, be damaged or debonded. You should not use your teeth for anything other than chewing food. Habits to avoid: (1) Chewing pencils, toothpicks or ice cubes, (2) Biting your nails, (3) Opening bags, containers or bottles with your teeth, (4) and Cutting fishing line or sewing thread with your teeth.  If you have layered porcelain, its especially important to be extra careful since they are more delicate.

TOOTHPASTE & TOOTH BRUSH

Use a non-abrasive toothpaste such as a “gel” type with fluoride. They are less abrasive to your veneers. Avoid toothpastes that have baking soda, charcoal, and peroxide — these types will cause the veneers to lose their shine or weaken the bonding cement. Also use a soft tooth brush.

IMPLANT CROWNS, BRIDGES, ALL-ON-X

Please clean daily with a WaterPik or floss threader.  It's also very important to come to your regularly scheduled cleaning so we're able to monitor the health of the dental work.

NIGHTGUARD

Clenching and grinding exerts pressure that can be generated across the teeth that can range from 100 to 600 psi (pounds per square inch). That incredible amount of force can cause many different problems related to your gums, jaw, and teeth.  Clenching and grinding when you have multiple porcelain restorations can cause cracks and fractures to your natural teeth.  An occlusal guard is an appliance that covers either your teeth and prevents the teeth from coming together while sleeping at night.  It also provides a guide for your jaw so that muscles can relax and bite problems will not trigger a bruxing action.

QUESTIONS

These instructions are a supplement to what the doctor has advised. Please follow only the specific instructions the doctor has given individually to you. If any questions, please call our office at (949) 734-0126.