For Patients

Healing &
Aftercare

What to Expect

Whether you’re preparing for an upcoming procedure, or you’ve just had an endodontic treatment, it is important to know how to care for your smile while you heal. Not only is it our goal to keep you comfortable and informed during your visit, but we also want you to feel prepared for what to expect after you leave our care.

Mitigating Discomfort

Directly after your visit, it is normal to feel some tenderness or discomfort. This should subside within a couple or days, but in the meantime, we recommend you minimize your discomfort by taking an over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. If your discomfort persists for several days after your endodontic procedure, please contact our office. Our team will ask you a few questions over the phone to see what may be the cause and, if necessary, book a follow up appointment for you.

A Family enjoying life together

Post-Op Care

If you’ve had a surgical treatment at our office, it is important that you follow your doctor’s specific, individualized instructions to ensure proper healing. However, there are a few things all patients should keep in mind after a surgical procedure:

Swelling
Swelling may occur after surgery and it is completely normal! This is part of your body’s natural healing process. To help swelling go down, you can place an ice pack over the surgical site for up to a half hour. You can continue to apply ice packs for fifteen minutes on and fifteen minutes off during the first 6 hours after surgery. It is also a good idea to try to keep your head in a slightly elevated position while you sleep for the first couple of nights after surgery.
Saline Rinses
You can do periodic saline (warm water & salt) rinses to help keep the surgical site clean.
Protect the Area
While eating, try to keep food away from the surgical site as this can dislodge any sutures and can introduce bacteria to the area. Also, remember to stick to a soft food diet for the day of and day after surgery.
Numbness
If you are still numb, avoid hot fluids as you could accidentally burn your mouth. It is best to wait to eat or drink hot foods until the numbing has worn off.
Take it easy
It’s important to remember to rest and let your body heal. This means you should avoid strenuous exercise for 48 hours after surgery.

Other than this, simply continue to brush and floss normally (avoiding the surgical site until your next visit). As always, if anything seems abnormal or uncomfortable, give us a call right away! Our team is standing by and we are always happy to speak with you and answer any questions you may have to give you peace of mind.

Judgment-Free Care, Always.

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