Crown or Bridge Preparation. Post Operative Instructions

During your appointment today, one or more of your teeth was prepared for a crown or bridge. A temporary crown was fabricated for each prepared tooth. Temporary crowns are cemented with a temporary dental cement to allow for easy removal at your next appointment. Temporary crowns are of universal size and shade. Your final restoration will be shaped and shaded to match your other teeth in both color and function.

Until your next appointment:

• Whenever anesthesia is used, avoid chewing on your teeth until the numbness has worn off.
• You may experience sensitivity to temperature and pressure, gum soreness and slight discomfort on the tooth / teeth; it should subside after the placement of permanent crown.
• Avoid hard or sticky foods that may dislodge temporary crowns, such as:
  • Hard chewy breads such as bagels or French bread.
  • Chewy candies such as taffy, caramels or gum.
  • Hard crunchy foods such as corn nuts or popcorn kernels.
  • Do not bite into foods such as corn on the cob or apples.
• If a temporary crown becomes loose or comes off, try to place it back onto the tooth and call the office at your convenience to get the crown re-cemented. Temporary cement is also available at most drug/grocery stores.
• Rinse your mouth with a mouthwash or warm salt water to minimize inflammation of the gum tissue.
• Acrylic temporaries attract more bacterial plaque than natural teeth; therefore it is important to brush normally, at least three times a day. Floss at least once a day, but floss carefully and don’t pull up on the floss which may dislodge the temporary. Pull the floss out from the side of the temporary crown.
• You may experience sensitivity to hot or cold foods or beverages after treatment.
• Mild to moderate discomfort after dental work is common. An over the counter pain reliever/anti-inflammatory is recommended for patients who are able to tolerate them. (Tylenol™, Advil™, Aleve™, etc.) If discomfort increases, please call the office.

If your bite feels uneven, if you have persistent pain, or if you have any other questions or concerns, please call the office.