After Care Instructions

Crowns or Bridges (Fixed Prosthesis)

You have just had some crowns or fixed bridges cemented onto your teeth. They will replace your missing tooth structure or missing teeth very well, and should give you years of service if you will observe the following suggestions:

Chewing: Do not chew hard or sticky foods on the restorations for 24 hours from the time they are cemented. The cement must mature to have optimum strength.

Continuing Care: Visit us at regular intervals as discussed with Dr. Rinaldi. Often problems that are developing around restorations can be found at an early stage and corrected easily, while waiting for a longer time may require redoing the entire restoration. Inadequate return for examination is the most significant reason for prostheses failure. We will contact you when it is time for your appointment.

Preventive Procedures: Use the following preventive procedures:

• Brush and floss after eating and especially before bedtime.
• Use bridge cleaners as advised by us.

Sensitivity: Don't worry about mild sensitivity to hot or cold foods. It will disappear gradually over a few weeks.

Aggressive Chewing: Do not chew ice or other very hard objects. Avoid chewing very sticky "hard tacky" candy because it can remove restorations.

Problems: If one or more of the following conditions occurs, please contact us to avoid further problems:

• A feeling of movement or looseness in the restoration.
• Sensitivity to hot, cold or sweet foods that doesn't disappear in a few weeks.
• A peculiar taste from the restoration site.
• Breakage of a piece of material from the restoration.
• Sensitivity to pressure.

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Temporary Crowns or Bridges (Fixed Prosthesis)

You have just received a plastic restoration that will serve you a short period of time. A few comments about this temporary restoration will be helpful to you.

Chewing: The temporary cement requires about one-half hour to set. Please do not chew during that period of time.

Temporary restorations are not strong. Do not eat anything sticky and do not floss them. If they break, call us and we will replace them. If you are not where you can contact us, go to a pharmacy and get Fixodent. Place the temporary on your tooth with some Fixodent holding it in place. Some patients have found that Vaseline also helps to retain the temporary restoration in place until you can see us. Please do not leave the temporary out of your mouth because the teeth will move and the final restoration will not fit. Certain foods will stick to the temporary restoration. This is not the case for the porcelain restoration to be cemented soon.

Color: The color of the plastic temporary does not resemble the final restoration in any way.

Shape, Size: The anatomy of the temporary plastic does not resemble the final restoration in any way.

Tooth Sensitivity: Temporary restorations may leak saliva or food into the tooth. Sensitivity to cold, hot or sweets is not uncommon. This will not be the case with your later restoration.

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Tooth-Colored Restorations

You have just received some tooth-colored restorations. The material used in your teeth is a plastic with small filler particles of glass-like material. These restorations will serve you for many years. They have been constructed with the finest and most up-to-date materials available. However, you should be aware of the following information about your new restorations:

Recalls: Visit us at regular recall periods. Often problems that are developing around restorations can be found at an early stage and corrected easily, while waiting for a longer time may require redoing the entire restoration. We will contact you when it is time for your recall.

Preventive Procedures: Use the following preventive procedures:

• Brush and floss after eating and especially before bedtime.

Porcelain Veneers

We have placed porcelain veneers on your teeth. These restorations were placed with the finest materials and techniques available today. However, you should be aware of the following information about your restorations:

Chewing: As with natural teeth, avoid chewing excessively hard foods on the veneered teeth (hard candy, ice, raw carrots, bones, etc.) because the porcelain material can be broken from the teeth under extreme forces.

Recalls: Visit us for examinations and checkups at regular six-month examination periods. Often, problems that are developing with the veneers can be found at an early stage and repaired easily, while waiting for a longer time may require redoing entire restorations.

Preventive Procedures: To provide optimum longevity for your restorations and to prevent future dental decay and supporting tissue breakdown, please use the following preventive procedures:

• Brush with a fluoride-containing toothpaste and floss after eating and before bedtime.
• See Dr. Rinaldi regularly.

The Future: We expect you will receive several years of service from these veneers. However, after watching veneers for many years, we have seen the following situations occur occasionally. They are unavoidable and may require restoration replacement:

• Extreme force or trauma can break porcelain veneers, just as the same force can break natural teeth. Use care in sports or other potentially traumatic situations. We recommend an athletic mouthguard in these instances. Do not bite extremely hard objects with one tooth. Breakage usually requires remaking the restoration, but occasionally it can be repaired.

We have done our best to provide you with the finest quality oral restorations available today. However, as with a fine automobile or watch, only your continuing care and concern can assure optimum service longevity. Replacement of the restorations may be required in several years.

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