Post-Op Instructions

Put pressure on the gauze pad placed over the extraction area for one hour. If bleeding continues, place new gauze and apply pressure for another 45 minutes. When supervising children who had a tooth extraction, make sure they don’t bite their numb lips or tongue — this can seriously injure their soft tissue.

Do not eat or drink anything hot on the day of your extraction, and avoid carbonated drinks. Take soft food and liquids such as yogurt, milkshakes, soup and juices for the first 2–3 days. Avoid spitting or rinsing your mouth, and don’t brush on the day of the extraction — gently resume brushing and flossing the following day.

An ice bag and prescribed medication will help minimize discomfort; take all medication as instructed. For complex surgical procedures such as wisdom tooth extraction and implant surgery, you will receive an ice wrap — wear it for the rest of the day (10 minutes on, 5 minutes off) until you go to bed.

Call us if you experience excessive bleeding, severe pain or swelling, or have any questions or concerns.

Don’t eat on your new filling for one hour, or while any numbness remains. Children who had fillings must not bite their numb lips or tongue, as this can cause serious injury. For silver amalgam fillings, avoid hard biting or chewing for 24 hours.

It’s normal to experience cold and heat sensitivity along with gum soreness for the first few days. If pain or discomfort lasts more than a few days, feel free to contact our office.

Crowns and bridges usually take 2–3 appointments. At the first, the teeth are prepared, impressions are taken, and a temporary crown is placed. You may experience sensitivity, gum soreness and slight discomfort — this subsides once the permanent crown is placed.

Temporary crowns are made of plastic-based material or soft metal and can break under too much pressure. If your temporary comes off, save it and call us — it protects the tooth and prevents other teeth from moving, so it should be replaced as soon as possible. Avoid sticky or hard food, and don’t chew until any numbness has worn off.

Floss carefully around temporaries — remove the floss gently from the side. If it’s hard to get floss between the temporary and surrounding teeth, resume flossing after your permanent crown is placed.

You may feel slight pressure for a few days after the permanent restoration, and your bite may feel different for a day or two. Call us if the bite still feels uneven after 2–3 days or if chewing is uncomfortable — delaying adjustments can permanently damage the tooth.

You may experience moderate pain and sensitivity for a few days after treatment; the discomfort should subside gradually. Take prescribed medications to support healing.

Do not bite on the tooth while numb, or for one hour after the temporary filling is placed. Until the permanent restoration is placed, be gentle with the tooth and chew on the opposite side. Follow up with your permanent restoration as advised — unnecessary delay can damage the tooth permanently.

Call us if you experience severe pain or swelling.

You may experience some cold and heat sensitivity, especially after a deep cleaning. Continue your regular brushing and flossing.

Some bleeding for a day or two is normal. Call us if bleeding is heavy or you have any concern.

You may feel some pressure and discomfort on your teeth. Be gentle with your braces and avoid chewing hard or sticky food. Brushing and flossing may be harder, but they’re essential to keep your mouth clean. Call us with any question or concern about your braces.

Pain, swelling and bleeding are normal after surgery. To minimize them, take all prescribed medications as instructed and use an ice bag near the treated area on the day of surgery — 10 minutes on, 5 minutes off.

Don’t raise your lips with your fingers to inspect the treated area, and don’t brush the teeth near it. Avoid smoking, spitting, or drinking through a straw while healing. A temporary loss of feeling in the operated area is common, and the tooth may feel loose.

Keep your follow-up appointment on time for suture removal and checks. Should any difficulties occur, don’t hesitate to call our office anytime.

Any new denture may bring some discomfort for a few days, and all new dentures need several adjustments to fit completely and comfortably. Speech is also affected at first — reading a book or newspaper aloud for several minutes a day helps your tongue and muscles get used to your dentures.

Take your dentures out every night and keep them in a clean container filled with water or denture cleaning solution. Clean them with a brush and water before wearing them again.

Feel free to call us if you experience pain or discomfort, or have any questions.

Swelling, minor pain and/or skin discolouration may be experienced temporarily after the procedure. To lessen swelling, use an ice pack for the first few hours — 10 minutes on, 5 minutes off.

Rinse the treated area with lukewarm water after each meal for the first 3 days. Eat only soft foods, but keep your normal intake — include juices, soup, and milk.

Don’t raise your lips with your fingers to inspect the area or brush the teeth near it. Get plenty of rest and try not to sleep on the operated side for 2–3 days. Any loss of feeling is temporary. Should any problem occur, call us anytime.

Whether you were put to sleep for your procedure or only given anaesthesia, the post-operative instructions are the same.

You will have several sutures (stitches) at the surgical site, which may or may not be resorbable. Do not pull up your lips or cheeks to check the area — the pressure can widen the sutures away from the surgical site, expose bone, create more pain, and dramatically delay healing. Your doctor will let you know when sutures will be removed; the timing may be extended to ensure adequate healing.

You may also have a periodontal pack placed over the surgical site, infused with antibiotic to protect against infection. Leave the pack in place as long as possible — it’s usually kept on for at least 7–10 days and removed at your one-week follow-up. Return to the office if your pack falls off.

Brush everywhere except where the periodontal pack is placed, and use no astringents like mouthwash or antiseptic solutions during healing — they can contaminate the graft site. We will provide you with normal saline and instructions for the first healing stage.

Avoid anything too hard, too hot, or too sticky; food should be tepid or on the cool side. Smoking delays or disrupts healing and must be stopped for the first 7–10 days. If you have questions about anything post-surgically, call the office and we’ll advise you on the proper action to take.