Post-Op

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Please refer to the post-op instructions that correlate with your child’s procedure.

Extraction

Your child received local anesthetic today. Please watch them closely for chewing or biting of the lips or cheek for 2-4 hours. Lip bites are common with local anesthetic in children and can create a large canker sore.

If Gelfoam was placed in the extraction site, it would fall out on its own or dissolve.
Bleeding may occur for the first 10-15 minutes. Your child should not drink out of a straw for 1 week.
Your child may drink a smoothie or milkshake after an appointment with a spoon. Once numbness is gone, your child should still maintain a soft diet (hamburger soft) for 1 week.
Your child can resume normal activities after 2-4 hours.
If your child complains of soreness around the extraction site, Children’s Tylenol or Motrin can be altered every 4-6 hours as needed.
Brushing is still required to keep the extraction site clean. Use light, soft, sulcular brushing around the extraction site.
If swelling or continued bleeding occurs please call Dr. Tom’s cell at (815) 651-1541.

Tooth-Colored Composite Filling

The filling will be as hard as it will be immediately following the procedure.
There may be a dental sealant placed over the remaining grooves to complete the restoration.
If your child complains of soreness around the area, Children’s Tylenol or Motrin can be altered every 4-6 hours as needed.
Your child may get a canker sore due to wedge. If this was to happen, your child should avoid salty or acidic foods.
Your child may drink a smoothie or milkshake after an appointment with a spoon. Once numbness is gone your child may go back to a normal diet.

Alloy Filling

An alloy filling was used because saliva was difficult to control, or because behavior was an issue.
The filing is not as hard as it will be for 24 hours. So a soft diet (hamburger soft) is recommended for 24 hours.
Your child may drink a smoothie or milkshake after an appointment with a spoon. Once numbness is gone, your child should still maintain a soft diet (hamburger soft) for 24 hours.

Glass Ionomer Filling

A glass ionomer filling was used because saliva was difficult to control, or because the behavior was an issue.
This type of filling is similar to the tooth’s color but may discolor over time.
This type of filling is not as hard as it will be for 24 hours. So it is recommended that a soft diet (hamburger soft) is followed during this time.
Your child may drink a smoothie or milkshake after the appointment.. Once numbness is gone, your child should still maintain a soft diet (hamburger soft) for 24 hours, and can go to chicken soft after 45 hours.

Stainless Steel Crown

Your child received a local anesthetic today. Please watch them closely for chewing or biting of the lips or cheek for 2-4 hours. Lip bites are common with local anesthetic in children and can create a large canker sore.

The Stainless Steel Crown is not as hard as it will be for 45 hours. So it is recommended that a soft diet (hamburger soft) is followed during this time.
If your child complains of soreness around the area, Children’s Tylenol or Motrin can be altered every 4-6 hours as needed.
Your child may get a canker sore due to gingival irritation during prep. If this was to happen, your child should avoid salty or acidic foods.
When cleaning around the crown, please wrap satin floss and pull the floss through the side. Also, make sure to angle the brush along the gumline to prevent gingival inflammation.

NuSmile Crown (White Crown)

The White Crown is not as hard as it will be for 45 hours. So it is recommended that a soft diet (hamburger soft) is followed during this time.
If your child complains of soreness around the area, Children’s Tylenol or Motrin can be altered every 4-6 hours as needed.
Your child may get a canker sore due to gingival irritation during prep. If this was to happen, your child should avoid salty or acidic foods.
When cleaning around the crown, please wrap satin floss and pull the floss through the side. Also, make sure to angle the brush along the gumline to prevent gingival inflammation.
Your child may drink a smoothie or milkshake after the appointment. Once numbness is gone, your child should still maintain a soft diet (hamburger soft) for 24 hours, and can go to chicken soft after 45 hours.

Strip Crown

The strip crown will be as hard as it will be immediately following the procedure.
If your child complains of soreness around the area, Children’s Tylenol or Motrin can be altered every 4-6 hours as needed.
Your child may get a canker sore due to gingival irritation during prep. If this was to happen, your child should avoid salty or acidic foods.
Your child will need to avoid biting into hard foods directly with anterior teeth and avoid nail biting habits etc., as this may affect the durability of the strip crown.
Your child may drink a smoothie or milkshake after an appointment with a spoon. Once numbness is gone your child may go back to a normal diet.

Pulpotomy

When decay enters the nerve of a primary (baby) tooth, a pulpotomy procedure becomes necessary to save the tooth. A pulpotomy is the removal of the nerve tissue and blood vessels inside the crown portion of a primary tooth. Once the decay and tissue have been removed, a medicated filling is placed in the space previously occupied by the nerve tissue and blood vessels, then a stainless steel crown or Nusmile Crown (White crown) is placed over the medicated filling.
Pulpotomies have been shown to have an 85% to 90% clinical success rate in primary teeth. It must be noted however, that some pulpotomies will fail unpredictably and the primary tooth may need to be removed in the future.
In order to give your child’s tooth with the pulpotomy the longest possible lifespan, please have your child avoid hard, sticky, or chewy foods.
Your child may drink a smoothie or milkshake after an appointment with a spoon. Once numbness is gone, your child should still maintain a soft diet (hamburger soft) for 24 hours, and can go to chicken soft after 45 hours.

Pulpectomy

Pulpectomy is a procedure to remove all the pulp from the crown and roots of a tooth. Pulp is the soft inner material that contains connective tissue, blood vessels, and nerves. Pulpectomy is usually performed in children to save a severely infected baby (primary) tooth, and is sometimes called a “baby root canal.” A medicated material is placed in the space previously occupied by the nerve tissue and blood vessels, then a stainless steel crown or Nusmile Crown (White crown) is placed over the medicated filling.
Pulpotomies have been shown to have any clinical success rate in primary teeth. It must be noted however, that some pulpectomies will fail unpredictably and the primary tooth may need to be removed in the future.
In order to give your child’s tooth with the pulpectomy the longest possible lifespan, please have your child avoid hard, sticky, or chewy foods.
Your child may drink a smoothie or milkshake after an appointment with a spoon. Once numbness is gone, your child should still maintain a soft diet (hamburger soft) for 24 hours, and can go to chicken soft after 45 hours.

Plainfield Pediatric Dentistry

Dr. Tom Maurice