Post Op Care

Please call our office on (724)774-1920 if the emergency is during business hours Mon-Thu 8am to 5pm. If the office is closed, please text the emergency number (878)529-0336 to contact the dentist after hours.

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EXTRACTION APPOINTMENT

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- Patient will be numb in the area of the extraction for approximately 2 hours. During this time most children are vulnerable to biting lips, cheeks or tongue. Occasionally they will attempt to suck, scratch or pinch the numb area leading to self-inflicted injuries. This will be evident in the form of swollen lips/cheeks a few hours later with a yellow crusted appearance. We highly recommend monitoring the child closely until the numbness wears off. These injuries will heal within 3-5 days, and we recommend soft food, Motrin and warm saltwater rinses to hasten healing.

- After the extraction a gauze pack is placed to control the bleeding. Please maintain pressure by biting on it for 20-30 min to control the bleeding.

- After you dispose of the gauze pack you can give the child some plain ice cream (no nuts, chips and no popsicles), yogurt or Jello. If needed use the extra gauze provided to apply further pressure to control bleeding.

- Take Tylenol as directed within an hour of the extraction to avoid any discomfort as the numbness wears off and we recommend Tylenol every 4-6 hours after that for the first 1-2 days.

- The first 24 hours are critical to the healing process, and we recommend no rinsing, no spitting and no straws. Brushing without toothpaste will avoid the need to rinse and spit.

- Soft food only (no hot, spicy or hard food) such as scrambled eggs, pancakes, mashed potatoes, etc.

- Please avoid strenuous physical activity in the first 24 hours such as trampolines, swimming, bike riding, etc. 

- In case of abscessed/infected teeth warm saltwater rinses may be recommended by the dentist, to be started only after the first 24 hours of healing

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FILLING APPOINTMENT

 

Fillings particularly for baby teeth are simple procedures. The most common issue after the procedure would be discomfort or swelling on lips/cheeks from the patient biting the numb area. Young children, especially under the age of 8, are prone to biting, sucking or pinching numb lips/cheek/tongue which can lead to self-inflicted injuries. The pain is not noticed until a few hours after the appointment when the numbness wears off, and the area appears to have a yellow crust occasionally with obvious swelling. These injuries will heal well within 3-5 days. Warm saltwater rinses, soft food and Motrin should aid in the healing process in most cases. You are welcome to call or send us pictures if you have any questions/concerns.

Adult teeth especially with deep fillings can occasionally be sensitive to hot/cold temperature changes which should ease off within a few weeks. If persistent pain is noticed while chewing and sleeping, please call the office for a follow-up appointment.

We recommend avoiding hard/sticky candy and chewing ice to avoid breaking the filling especially on the smaller baby teeth.

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CLEANING APPOINTMENT

 

Most cleaning appointments for children only involve the use of a soft rubber cup to remove plaque. Occasionally in older children with significant gingivitis and tartar build up, further use of hand instruments could be needed to remove the build-up. Mild soreness after a cleaning is to be expected in these cases, particularly in patients who presented with poor oral hygiene. Warm saltwater rinses should relieve some of the discomfort and the gums will heal in 2-3 days.

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GENERAL ANESTHESIA/SEDATION AT HOSPITAL

 

Young children with extensive treatment need and/or limited cooperation are sedated to complete all treatment while sedated. This often includes extensive dental work performed in one single appointment and post op instructions need to be followed carefully to allow for quick healing. These instructions are provided in writing to every parent but if you would like to review this further, please read the form attached here. Children are resilient with amazing healing capabilities and recovery is generally smooth post-op. Please call the office or text our after-hours emergency number if you have any concerns not answered here.​​

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INSTRUCTION FORM