About your Provisional (temporary) And your Crown and Bridgework:

Provisional (temporary) crowns or bridges are placed on the teeth that will eventually have porcelain fused to gold, full gold or all ceramic crowns or bridges placed on them.  They will be worn until the crown and bridgework is completed.  Their purpose is to protect the remaining tooth structure, maintain the surrounding periodontium (gums) and maintain the position of the adjacent and opposing teeth.

While wearing your provisional the following is important to note:

1.  Some sensitivity can occur initially while wearing your provisionals (temporaries).  This usually subsides within a few weeks.
2. Maintaining good hygiene, as always, is important.
3. A prescription for Prevident 5000 will be given to you.  You should use it once a day as we have instructed. Brush with Prevident at night, spit out and do not rinse off.
4. When flossing – slide the floss through the space between the temporary crown and the adjacent teeth.  This will help avoid removing the temporary inadvertently.
5. When eating you should avoid the following:

   a. Candy
   b. Bagels
   c. Gum
   d. Chewy/sticky foods
   e. Incising (biting into) sandwiches and pizza when temporary is on front tooth
   f. Crusty breads

6.  If the provisional does loosen or comes out, please call and we will schedule you to recement it within 48 hours.
7. Leaving the provisional (temporary) out for a longer period of time can allow for teeth to shift – resulting in the final crown not fitting properly.  Tooth decay can also occur more easily on the unprotected tooth’s surfaces.
8. It is extremely important to remain on the schedule we give you for your treatment.  Delaying treatment can result in additional tooth decay, gum disease and costs.

Being aware of the purpose and care of your provisional (temporary) crowns along with the importance of keeping scheduled appointments will be very helpful in making your case successful.

Thank you,

Kevin J. McNeil, D.D.S.
Alex M. Doe, D.M.D.

Crown and Bridge:

Crown and Bridge Treatment can take from one to four appointments to complete.  In those cases where we can use our E4D CAD/CAM Technology, it may be possible for a crown to be completed in one longer appointment.  For those circumstances where traditional crown and bridge treatment is required, the teeth are prepared and impressions of the teeth are taken.  Temporary crowns or bridges are placed to protect the teeth while the restorations are being made by our laboratory team.

It is important to refrain from eating or drinking hot beverages for at least one hour or until the numbness has completely worn off.

Occasionally, a temporary crown or bridge may come off or loosen.  If this occurs, call us and bring the temporary crown with you so that we can re-cement it.  It is important for temporaries to stay in place in order to prevent other teeth from moving and compromising the fit of the final restorations.  Please refer to the home care instructions for temporaries.

It is normal to experience some temperature and pressure sensitivity after each appointment.  This sensitivity should subside within a few weeks after placement of the final restoration.  Mild pain medication may also be used as directed by our office.  In unusual cases, the nerve/pulpal tissue of the tooth being restored can be irreversibly affected by the extent of work required to restore the tooth.  If you experience lingering, persistent or intolerable discomfort, please contact our office so that we may properly assess and treat this problem.

If your bite feels uneven please contact the office so we can schedule you to adjust the bite.

Daily brushing and flossing are a must for your new dental work.  Daily plaque removal is critical for the long term success of your new restorations as is maintaining regular hygiene appointments.

Remember, any food that can crack, chip or damage a natural tooth can do the same to your new crowns or bridges.  Avoid hard foods and substances (such as nuts, peanut brittle, ice, fingernails or pencils) and sticky candies.

 

Composite Resin (white) Restorations:

Once composite (resin) white restorations are placed, they are completely hardened when you leave the office.  You can chew on these restorations as soon as the anesthetic (numbness) completely wears off.

It is not unusual to have some sensitivity after your appointment.  The sensitivity may be caused by hot, cold and pressure.  The injection site may also be sore.  Ibuprofen, Tylenol or aspirin often will alleviate the tenderness.

Your bite may feel uneven after the anesthesia (numbness) wears off. This can contribute to sensitivity and you should contact the office so we can schedule you to adjust the bite.

If pressure or temperature sensitivity persists beyond a few days, please contact the office so we can schedule you to assess the problem.

 

Removable Prosthetics (Complete and Partial Dentures):

After receiving a removable prosthesis such as a complete or partial denture, there usually will be an adjustment period for every patient.

Complete or partial dentures are intended to be removed by the patient.  You will be given instructions on how to do this when the denture is originally placed.

Occasionally, a sore spot may develop after a removable denture is placed,  If this occurs, please contact our office so that an adjustment can be made to make the removable denture more comfortable.

Also, if the bite feels uneven, contact the office so that we can schedule an appointment to adjust the bite.

 Removable dentures should be removed prior to sleeping hours and not worn during sleep.

Removable dentures should be cleaned daily using a tooth brush and liquid soap to remove debris from all surfaces of the denture, including the teeth, outer pink areas and the inner surfaces that seat on your soft tissue. You can use over the counter denture cleaner after brushing then for overnight cleaning.

Even though you have a removable complete or partial denture, you still need to have recall appointments annually (for complete dentures) or semiannually (for partial dentures).  For partial denture patients, your remaining teeth continue to require good daily home care and appointments with the hygienist to maintain them.

For complete denture patients, an annual assessment of your oral tissues is important.

Finally, removable dentures need to be periodically relined or replaced to ensure their fit and function.

 

Hygiene:

For most patients, Crescent Dental Associates recommends having hygiene appointments twice a year (every six months).  There are some patients who have had a history of periodontal disease that requires more frequent hygiene appointments.  Typically, these patients have to be seen every three months.

Providing dental hygiene to our patients is as important a service as any we provide to our patients.  During your hygiene appointment, our hygienist will not only clean your teeth, she will also assess with the dentist, the soft and hard tissues of your mouth.  The hygienist will provide you with home care instructions regarding proper brushing and flossing techniques.

After your hygiene appointment, you may experience some tenderness of your gums and teeth.  This soreness usually subsides after a few days.

It is important to follow the instructions the hygienist has given you for home care.  Proper daily flossing and brushing are essential for maintaining your dentition and any restorations that have been placed.

 

Occlusal Splints:

Occlusal splints (guards) are utilized to both protect your dentition from the effects of bruxism (grinding and clenching) and to improve the jaw relations.

Occlusal splints are often worn by the patient during the sleeping hours.  However, for some patients, use of the occlusal splint during the entire day is required to alleviate muscle pain and to stabilize the jaw relation.

A period of time may be required to become accustom to wearing the occlusal splint. The more diligent a patient is with wearing the occlusal splint, the more easily it is for the splint to become comfortable.

The occlusal splints are made of hard acrylic and should be cleaned daily with a brush and liquid soap.  Over the counter Denture cleaner can be also used to clean the occlusal splint.

After a few days of wearing the occlusal splint, if the bite feels uneven or if you are experiencing muscle pain, please contact the office so that we can schedule an appointment to assess the occlusal splint and make adjustments to it as needed.