10945 South Street, Ste. 200A ~ Cerritos, CA 90703
SouthCoast Dental
Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry
Contact Us | Email Us CALL (562) 924-URBAN
CALL (562) 924-1523
Douglas L. Urban, D.D.S

Patient Care Following Dental Surgery

 

PATIENT TESTIMONIALS...

"My experience with Dr. Douglas Urban was very good. I am deathly afraid of dentists and let my teeth go for way too long. Dr. Urban and his team made me feel very comfortable and it didn't hurt at all. He seems to be very dedicated to bring back my smile. I am looking forward to my continued treatment and I would recomend him to anyone looking for a great dentist. I hope that this review is helpful as I originally got his name from 1-800-DENTIST. Thank you."

 

  1. Bleeding. To prevent unnecessary bleeding, maintain gentle pressure over the surgery site(s) by biting on gauze. You have been given an ample supply of gauze pads. If more are required, they can be purchased at a drug store or supermarket. Biting on a tea bag that has been moistened and wrapped in a piece of gauze also helps to stop bleeding. Pressure should be continued for one to two hours or until most of the bleeding has stopped. Change the packs every 15-20 minutes or when saturated. It is not unusual to have some slight oozing for up to 24 hours. Rest today and keep your head slightly elevated. Do not engage in physical activity since this stimulates bleeding.
  2. Eating. It is important to get adequate nutrition after surgery to help the healing process. Just drink liquid food supplements and juices and eat soft foods today. Progress to firmer foods as healing progresses.
  3. Rinsing and Brushing. Do not rinse for the first day after surgery. This could dislodge the blood clot and lead to a dry socket. After 24 hours, rinse with warm salt water (1/2 tsp salt in 8 oz of water) 3-4 times a day for 4 days. Besides rinsing too soon, other actions that could contribute to a dry socket are smoking and using a straw.
  4. Ice Packs. To help prevent the swelling that occurs the next day, ice packs should be applied to the face near the surgery site. Apply these ice packs for periods of 20 minutes on and 5 minutes off until bedtime on the day of the surgery. With most oral surgery, swelling peaks at about 48 hours and then starts to go down. Significant swelling beyond this time could indicate infection. If this occurs, call me.

In case of emergency, Dr. Urban's cell phone number is 949-338-0772.

Post Op Care for Temporary Crowns

You have been given a temporary crown to keep the tooth happy. It is cemented with a sedative adhesive and will keep the tooth from moving and allow normal use again. Please brush as usual. However, refrain from flossing the area while the temporary is on. Do not pick at it or chew gum or sticky foods. Otherwise, you will be calling me for an appointment to re-cement the crown. Ibuprofen or acetaminophen is adequate if the tooth experiences temporary soreness. If the gums appear dark around the crown, do not panic. It is a stain from the impression process and will wash out within 24 hours returning the gums to normal color. If you accidentally dislodge your crown, place it back on the tooth. If it does not stay and you cannot get in to see me, you can try several alternatives. Poly Grip, Dent Temp and Crazy Glue are all safe. Remember to use just a little bit so the crown goes down all the way on the tooth. Call me on my cell 949-338-0772.

Post Op Care for Root Canal Fillings

Depending upon the original problem, most root canal treatments heal very quickly with no tenderness. If there is a reaction, the tooth should start to feel normal again within 48 hours. Ibuprofen (2 tabs 200mg every 6 hours) is best during this time. If swelling or prolonged soreness occurs, call me at the office or on my cell phone 949-338-0772.

Post Op Care for Fillings

Generally the tooth has no idea what happened. Occasionally, there may be some temporary tenderness to chewing or cold, but this eventually goes away. Try not to test the tooth immediately after placement of the filling. It needs time to get acquainted with the decay removal and new filling.

Post Op Care for Bleaching

Bleaching is a safe process that restores white smiles. Teeth may experience some sensitivity. This goes away the next day. Sensitivity toothpastes are available in case you have a lot of abrasion against the teeth from wear and tear. I suggest a monthly booster application of the tray bleach or the Oral-B strips for the first few months to solidify the teeth whitening process. After that, most people will bleach after their hygiene visits to maintain a bright smile. Remember that all teeth want to get yellow again... so keep a regular schedule.

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