Frequently Asked Questions

It is recommended to wait until the numbness completely wears off before you eat and drink. However, if you must eat for any reason, be careful not to bite your numb lip, cheek, or tongue.

Sensitivity to hot, cold, and chewing harder, crunchier foods is not uncommon after a restoration has been placed if the decay was close to the nerve in the center of the tooth. If the tooth is healing, sensitivity typically lasts for a short time after the cold is introduced and does not linger. Sensitivity will gradually decrease as the tooth develops a healed, protective layer. It is not uncommon for this minor sensitivity to last up to two weeks, sometimes longer. However, if sensitivity is getting worse within the two weeks, or if the sensitivity lingers, please call Ross Family Dentistry for an evaluation of the nerve health.

Pain might be experienced due to muscle tightness or tenderness following procedures that require your mouth to remain open for some time or at the site of injection. Anti-inflammatory pain medications such as ibuprofen will help alleviate symptoms.

If the filling feels ‘high’ and doesn’t allow the other teeth to close together or you are having pain while chewing, please contact us within a few days of your appointment for a slight adjustment of the biting surface of the filling. It can be difficult to feel that your bite is correct while being numb.
Any new restoration will make a change, however small, in the way the teeth fit together. The tongue and cheeks will notice a change and magnify the small difference, but in a few days, you will become accustomed and adapt to the restoration.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Ross Family Dentistry at 970-667-1236.

Home Care for Your Temporary Crown

• Avoid eating anything for approximately an hour after the temporary has been placed to allow for the bonding agent to set and the anesthetic to wear off.
• Avoid eating sticky foods, chewing gum, crunchy foods, or anything that involves hard chewing, or use the other side of your mouth to chew.
• Use caution when brushing. When flossing, floss through the contact toward the gumline, then slide the floss out to the side. Do not snap the floss up through contact point as this can “pop off” the temporary.
• Some cold sensitivity can be normal as long as it doesn’t linger for more than a few minutes. Since the temporary is plastic, it isn’t as insulated as the permanent crown will be.
• Sometimes the gum tissue may be a little sore after the preparation procedure. If gums are irritated, rinse with warm salt water a few times over the next couple of days to help speed up the healing process. (1 cup warm water, ½ teaspoon salt and gentle swish.)

Temporary falls off.
Sometimes temporaries fall off. Usually this is due to lack of cement or the cement washing out from under the crown. Without a temporary on the tooth, the tooth can become sensitive and the gum tissue can become irritated and hinder the final crown cementation. If your temporary falls off and you can reorient it to fit back on the tooth, you can put a small dab of Vaseline, toothpaste, or Fixodent into the crown and ‘reseat’ the temporary until you are able to contact Ross Family Dentistry. If you are unable to fit the temporary back onto the tooth, please contact Ross Family Dentistry immediately and we will give you specific instructions on how to care for your tooth and crown until you can be seen for an evaluation.

Chipped temporary.
Temporaries are made of a plastic material that can chip. If the chip is small, sometimes you can continue to wear the same temporary until your final crown is back from the lab. If the chipping is extensive, or if it breaks in multiple pieces, the temporary will need to be remade. Please contact Ross Family Dentistry at 970-667-1236 if any chipping/breaking has occurred.