Post-Operative Instructions

• Do not eat until numbness has worn off to avoid biting your cheek, lip, or tongue.
• Use caution with hot foods while numb—you may not be able to judge temperature accurately.
• Your filling is fully hardened when you leave the office.

What to Expect:

• Some cold sensitivity is normal for a few days to a couple of weeks.
• This is usually due to temporary inflammation of the nerve, similar to how other tissues respond after minor procedures.
• It should gradually improve.

Call us if:

• Cold sensitivity lingers or worsens
• Pain to heat or spontaneous pain develops
• Pain with biting
• Your bite feels high or uneven

Last updated: August 2026
Reviewed by Dr. Jeff Muszynski

• You will leave with a temporary crown while your final crown is being fabricated.
• Avoid all hard or sticky foods until the permanent crown is placed.
• Brush normally, but gently around the area.

Flossing:

• Always pull floss out to the side, not upward, to prevent dislodging the temporary.

If your temporary comes off:

• Call us to let us know.
• This is usually not an emergency unless sensitivity is present.
• If intact:
• A small amount of toothpaste can help hold it temporarily (remove before eating or sleeping)
• Temporary cement from a pharmacy can also be used if needed

Last updated: August 2026
Reviewed by Dr. Jeff Muszynski

Bleeding:

• Some oozing is normal.
• You should not be soaking through gauze repeatedly.

Most common cause of continued bleeding is inadequate pressure:

• Make sure the gauze is positioned directly over the site
• Use enough gauze so that your teeth do NOT touch when biting
• Use multiple gauze squares if needed
• Wrap them in a larger piece to maintain pressure

Second most common cause:

• Frequent spitting
• This creates suction and disrupts the clot

Avoid for 1 week:

• Straws
• Smoking
• Forceful spitting
• Aggressive rinsing

Diet:

• Soft foods for 24 hours
• Avoid seeds, popcorn, small particles
• Avoid carbonated beverages for 3 days

Swelling:

• Ice 10 minutes on / 10 minutes off for 24 hours

Rinsing:

• Begin gentle saltwater rinses after 24 hours
• Do not swish aggressively for 4 days

• Dry socket may occur if the clot is disrupted.
• Common causes include smoking, poor clot formation, and early rinsing.

Call us if:

• Bleeding does not improve with firm pressure
• Pain significantly worsens after a few days

Last updated: August 2026
Reviewed by Dr. Jeff Muszynski

• Take all prescribed medications, including antibiotics, as directed.
• Limit activity for a few days.

Oral Hygiene:

• Avoid brushing the surgical site for about 1 week if sutures were placed.
• Clean nearby teeth gently with a soft brush, floss, or cotton swab.

Healing Abutment:

• Do not chew on it.
• Do not push on it with your tongue or finger.
• If it becomes loose or falls out, call immediately.

Chewing:

• Do not chew on the implant site for at least 3 months.

Smoking:

• Smoking is the number one cause of implant failure.
• If an implant fails in a smoker, no refunds will be provided and additional charges will apply for future treatment.

Timeline:

• Typical healing is 3–4 months.
• 6 months if sinus grafting was performed.

Last updated: August 2026
Reviewed by Dr. Jeff Muszynski

• Follow extraction instructions unless otherwise directed.
• Sutures will always be placed.
• Small graft particles may come out. This is normal.
• Avoid chewing in the area for 3–4 weeks.

Last updated: August 2026
Reviewed by Dr. Jeff Muszynski

• Avoid chewing hard foods on the treated tooth.
• Unless told otherwise, a crown is typically needed as soon as possible.
• The tooth is more fragile after a root canal and can break without protection.
• Mild soreness is normal for a few days to a week.

Call us if:

• Pain is severe or worsening
• Swelling develops

Last updated: August 2026
Reviewed by Dr. Jeff Muszynski

• Mild soreness for a few days is normal.
• Cold sensitivity may occur for a few weeks.
• Use sensitivity toothpaste and prescribed rinse as directed.

Last updated: August 2026
Reviewed by Dr. Jeff Muszynski

• Sensitivity is normal in some patients and is temporary.
• It does not damage teeth.
• You may need to alternate days.
• Avoid staining foods immediately after whitening.

Last updated: August 2026
Reviewed by Dr. Jeff Muszynski

• Leave dentures in for the first 48 hours, removing only to clean.

After 48 hours:

• Remove at night while sleeping.
• Remove at least once daily for cleaning.

Cleaning:

• Brush dentures daily.
• Soak in denture cleaner if desired.
• Use mild dish soap if needed.
• Do not use toothpaste.

Important Expectations for Immediate Dentures

Because immediate dentures are made before teeth are removed, there are some unique challenges:

• Esthetics and bite cannot be fully verified beforehand.
• Perfect results cannot be guaranteed.
• Fit will change significantly during healing, and relines will be necessary to catch up with changes.
• Looseness is normal during the healing phase.
• Sore spots are common. Call early for adjustments if sore spots develop — do not wait for sores to become severe.

For these reasons, immediate dentures are often considered "temporary" or "healing dentures." A second denture may be needed after healing (roughly six months) to overcome these challenges.

Last updated: August 2026
Reviewed by Dr. Jeff Muszynski