Restoring your smile with a dental crown or bridge is a significant step toward improving your oral health, function, and appearance. You have just completed the first phase of this treatment: the preparation of your tooth (or teeth) and the placement of a temporary restoration. This temporary crown or bridge is not just a placeholder; it plays a critical role in the success of your final restoration.
At Patriot Family Dental, we want to ensure your healing process is as smooth and comfortable as possible. This comprehensive guide will explain what to expect after your appointment, how to care for your temporary restoration, and what steps you can take to ensure a perfect fit for your permanent crown or bridge.
What to Expect Immediately After Your Appointment
The first few hours after your procedure are important. To keep you comfortable, we used a local anesthetic to numb the treatment area. As you leave our office, it is normal for your tongue, lips, and the roof of your mouth to feel numb for several hours.
This numbness requires caution. Because you cannot feel pain or temperature accurately, you are at risk of accidentally biting your lip, cheek, or tongue. For this reason, we strongly advise you to refrain from eating and drinking hot beverages until the numbness has completely worn off. Stick to cool or lukewarm liquids if you are thirsty. Once feeling returns, you can begin to introduce soft foods.
Managing Sensitivity and Discomfort
Once the anesthesia wears off, it is normal to experience some sensitivity to temperature and pressure. The tooth has undergone significant work, and the surrounding gum tissue might be slightly irritated. This sensitivity is usually temporary and should gradually subside over the next few days. It may even persist in a mild form until a few weeks after the final restoration is placed.
To alleviate any discomfort, over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) can be very effective. Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory, which helps reduce both the soreness in the tooth and any swelling in the surrounding gums. Take it as directed on the package. If your pain gets progressively worse, is severe, or cannot be managed with medication, please contact our office.
Your Diet: Eating with a Temporary Restoration
Your temporary crown or bridge is made from a durable acrylic material, but it is not as strong as your final restoration. It is attached with a weaker, temporary cement so that your dentist can easily remove it at your next appointment. This means you must be careful with your diet to prevent the temporary from breaking or coming loose.
For the first 24 hours, you should consume only soft foods. This gives the temporary cement time to set completely and allows the tooth to settle without being subjected to heavy chewing forces.
Safe Soft Foods to Eat
- Jell-O
- Apple Sauce
- Greek Yogurt
- Scrambled Eggs
- Mashed Potatoes
- Oatmeal
- Cooled Soup
- Macaroni & Cheese
- Ice Cream
- Pudding
- Finely Chopped Chicken
- Ground Beef
Foods to Avoid
To protect your temporary restoration, you must avoid:
- Hard and Crunchy Foods: Things like nuts, hard candy, popcorn, chips, and even raw, hard vegetables can crack or break the temporary.
- Sticky and Chewy Foods: Gum, caramel, taffy, and gummy candies are notorious for pulling temporary crowns right off the tooth.
If you have a temporary crown on a front tooth, avoid biting directly into foods like sandwiches, apples, or pizza. Instead, it is recommended to cut up your food into small, manageable pieces and chew with your back teeth.
Proper Hygiene for a Healthy Smile
Maintaining excellent oral hygiene while you have a temporary is crucial. Plaque and food debris can collect around the edges of the temporary, leading to gum inflammation. If the gums become swollen and unhealthy, it can interfere with the placement of your permanent crown.
Brush regularly, at least twice a day, making sure to be gentle but thorough around the temporary restoration.
Flossing requires a special technique. You can slide the floss down between the teeth as you normally would. However, to remove it, do not pull the floss back up. Popping the floss upward can catch the edge of the temporary and dislodge it. Instead, once you are done cleaning the area, carefully release one end of the floss and pull it through from the side.
Soothing Sensitive Gums
Should the gums around the temporary crown become sensitive or irritated, you can rinse with a warm saltwater solution. Mix a half teaspoon of salt (½ tsp) into a half cup (½ cup) of warm water. Rinse gently for 30 seconds, 4 times a day. This simple, natural rinse helps soothe inflammation and keeps the tissue clean.
The Importance of Your Temporary Restoration
Your temporary crown or bridge serves several critical functions:
- Protection: It covers the prepared tooth structure, protecting it from bacteria and sensitivity.
- Function: It allows you to chew and speak more comfortably.
- Space Maintenance: It prevents adjacent teeth from drifting or shifting into the space. If teeth move, your permanent restoration will not fit.
Because it plays such an important role, you must contact our office if it becomes damaged or falls off. Do not try to wait until your next scheduled appointment. We will be happy to recement or repair it for you, ensuring your treatment stays on track.
Your Next Steps with Patriot Family Dental
By following these instructions, you are helping us ensure that your final appointment goes smoothly and that your new crown or bridge fits perfectly. Your custom restoration is being expertly crafted just for you, and we look forward to placing it soon.
If you have any questions, experience any issues, or feel that something is not right with your bite, please do not hesitate to contact Patriot Family Dental. We are here to support you throughout your entire treatment process.