Local Anesthesia – “Numbing/novocaine”
- The length of time your child’s teeth/ soft tissue will be numb varies.
- Please monitor your child closely for 1-2 hours following the procedure (until the numbness wears off) - as biting of the lip/ cheek is a relatively common complication.
- Eating is not recommended until the local anesthetic (numbness) wears off. However, this is not always possible - so please avoid any food that requires chewing. Limit diet to apple sauce, yogurt, smoothies and food of this nature if eating is necessary while still numb.
Stainless Steel Crowns – “Silver Cap”
- We recommend a soft diet for the first 24-48 hours following a stainless steel crown.
- An over-the-counter analgesic can be used to manage any potential discomfort. This is most effective if your child takes the medicine while still “numb”.
- The crown your child had placed today was cemented on the tooth using a protective, biocompatible cement.
- Crowns may come off if your child eats sticky food (jolly ranchers, taffy, caramel, dried fruit, etc.) - please avoid these. If your child’s crown becomes loose or comes off, please contact our office. We can often re-cement the crown without local anesthetic if our office is notified immediately.
- The gum tissue around the crown may be a bit sore and have a red color for several days. Gums heal rapidly and any transitory discomfort should resolve quickly.
- Brush the gums surrounding the crown very gently today (or simply rinse with salt water or dental rinse). We encourage you to resume normal brushing after this initial period.
- If brushing does not occur after crown placement, your child may experience discomfort unrelated to the crown (i.e. gingivitis).
- When flossing around your new crown, please drag and pull as demonstrated at your appointment.
- If your child develops spontaneous pain (i.e. waking up in the middle of the night) or a bubble/bump around the gums, please contact our office.
Restorations – “White Fillings”
- We recommend a soft diet for the first 24-48 hours following a restoration. Depending on the nature of the restoration, it may take 48 hours for the material to fully cure and reach full-strength.
- We recommend an appropriate dose of an over-the-counter analgesic to manage any potential discomfort. This is most effective if your child takes the medicine while still “numb”.
- Oral hygiene is critical to the success of your filling. If brushing/flossing does not occur daily, the filling can break down along the margin necessitating another invasive procedure. Please keep it clean!
- Your child may experience discomfort after initial placement of the restoration. Any discomfort should lessen in time(usually 2-3 weeks). If the pain does not subside or increases, please contact our office.
- If your child develops spontaneous pain (i.e. waking up in the middle of the night) or a bubble/bump around the gums, please contact our office.
- When flossing around your new restoration, please drag and pull as demonstrated at your appointment.
Extraction(s) – “Removal of a tooth”
- After an extraction, some bleeding is to be expected. Have your child bite on the provided gauze until bleeding is controlled (typically 30 minutes is adequate).
- Numbness: Your child’s cheek, lips, tongue, etc. will be numb for approximately 1-2 hours following the procedure. Please monitor closely for any biting or problems from lack of sensation.
- Suction / Sucking / Negative Pressure: may result in prolonged bleeding. Avoid sippy cups, straws, and pacifiers for 24 hours.
- We recommend a soft diet. Avoid any foods that may irritate the extraction site. (e.g. crunchy, too hot, or acidic)
- We recommend an appropriate dose of an over-the-counter analgesic to manage any potential discomfort. This is most effective if your child takes the medicine while still “numb”.
- Avoid strenuous activity for 24 hours.
IV Sedation & General Anesthesia - (treament completed while child is asleep)
Please read these directions over carefully. Be sure to follow this advice precisely in order to ensure your child’s comfort and an unimpaired healing process. If there is a matter that needs further explanation or if you have any questions about home care routine, please do not hesitate to ask the Doctor.
Healing: DO NOT DISTURB THE SITE by touching it with fingers, toothpick, or tongue; irritation, bleeding, and infection could result. The blood clot which forms over the area is nature’s method of healing and should not be disturbed.
Rinsing: DO NOT RINSE DURING THE DAY OF YOUR ORAL SURGERY. This is to avoid disturbing the blood clot which is essential for proper healing of the extraction site. You may begin to brush your teeth the day after your surgery. Brush GENTLY and AVOID the site for 4-6 days. Then resume normal brushing.
Controlling Bleeding: SOME SLIGHT OOZING OF BLOOD FROM THE EXTRACTION SITE IS COMMON. To minimize bleeding after tooth extraction, bite HARD AND STEADILY on a rolled piece of gauze thus exerting pressure on the wound for a minimum of 30 minutes to one hour. If bleeding should continue after removing the rolled gauze, wipe away the excess blood clot and place another piece of rolled gauze or wet tea bag over the extraction site and bite down HARD AND STEADILY for another 30 minutes. DO NOT RINSE YOUR MOUTH OUT WITH WATER DURING THIS PERIOD. If bleeding continues after these two attempts, please call the Doctor.
Relieving Pain: We recommend giving your child over-the-counter Tylenol around-the-clock for the first 12 hours following the procedure as children often do not communicate a mild level of discomfort. Typically children wake up the following morning feeling much better.
Minimizing Swelling: Apply an ice pack to your child’s face (use an ice bag or wrap some ice cubes in a plastic bag and cover it with a cloth towel) for 15-20 minutes. Repeat this for 20minutes on and 20 minutes off until bedtime, during the day of oral surgery.
Diet Instructions Following Dental Surgery:
- Following dental surgery under general anesthesia, your child may not tolerate food very well. The necessity of nutrients still remains due to the demands of tissue repair and recovery.
- Clear liquids are encouraged as the first step back to a normal diet. This includes water, ginger ale, apple juice, etc.
- This will prevent dehydration. A soft diet can gradually be introduced as your child can tolerate (broth, soup, smoothies, etc.).