Post-op: Fillings

Local Anesthesia

• Your lips, teeth, and tongue may be numb for several hours after your appointment ​

  • You may experience some discomfort where the local anesthetic was injected - this is normal

  • You might have some bruising or swelling in the injection site area that will resolve in a few days—just like a bruise that occurs anywhere else on your body

• Avoid chewing/eating until the anesthesia has worn off

  • It is easy to bite or burn your mouth while it is numb

Pain Management​

• You may experience tenderness or discomfort after your appointment ​

• Take over the counter Ibuprofen or Tylenol to help with any soreness at the injection site​

• Your jaw might be sore due to keeping your mouth open for an extended period during the procedure

  • If you experience temporomandibular (TMJ) soreness, avoid opening your mouth extremely wide or chewing on foods that cause discomfort until the issue resolves. An ice pack or warm compress along with an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen or naproxen can help.

Sensitivity​​​​​

• It is normal to experience some sensitivity to cold, hot, and pressure following the procedure

• Teeth require some time to heal after removal of tooth structure and may be sensitive in the meantime

• These symptoms will lessen within a few days to a few weeks.  As long as the sensitivity continues to decrease, there is no need for concern

  • If the sensitivity increases, becomes severe or swelling occurs, please call our office immediately

Gum Discomfort​​

• Following the procedure, your gums may feel tender. Rinsing with warm salt water and taking a pain reliever such as Tylenol or Advil can help decrease discomfort.

Bite​

• After placing your new restoration, it may take a few days to get used to.  ​​

  • If your bite feels uneven after a few days, please call our office to set up an appointment for a simple adjustment.

Eating​

• Avoid chewing on the numb side of your mouth following the procedure to prevent biting your cheek, lip, or tongue.  White fillings set immediately after they are placed, so after the numbness wears off, you can chew as you normally would.

Home Care​

• Although the filling is quite durable, the tooth is still vulnerable to decay

  • Daily brushing and flossing are a must. Consistent plaque removal is critical for the long-term success of your new restoration as are regular professional cleaning appointments.

• Any food that can crack, chip, or damage a natural tooth can do the same to your new filling 

  • Do not bite into hard foods such as hard nuts, peanut brittle, ice, apples, frozen candy bars, sticky caramel, or anything else that can put undue pressure on your teeth.

• Never use your teeth as tools! 

  • Teeth are not meant to open frozen vegetable bags, pull on strings, or hold objects. Also, no biting on fingernails, chewing pencils, or doing anything else that could cause pressure or trauma to your teeth.

• While refraining from coffee, red wine, tea, and berries isn’t realistic for most people, these things will stain your teeth, as will tobacco

  • Use a straw as much as possible for liquids, and always brush, floss, and rinse your teeth with a whitening mouthwash as soon as possible after consuming drinks and foods that stain.