Home Care Instructions: Fillings

1. Numbness: For the first hour after your visit, do not chew or eat until numbness subsides. Do not bite or scrape your lips, cheeks, or gums.

2. Eating: The filling is fully set and ready to eat on when you leave the office. Please be careful eating until the anesthetic wears off so you don’t bite your lips, cheeks, or tongue, though.

3. Sensitivity: Sensitivity, especially to cold, is common for a few days following a dental filling. Usually the deeper the cavity, the more sensitive the tooth may be. Sensitivity is usually most noticeable in the first 12-24 hours after the anesthetic wears off.

4. Children: Children should be observed until the anesthetic wears off. Due to the strange feeling of the anesthetic, many children will chew the inside of their lips, cheeks, or tongue, which can cause serious damage.

5. Adjustments: The finished restoration may be contoured slightly different and have a different texture than the original tooth. Your tongue usually magnifies this small difference, but you will become accustomed to this in a few days. If after a week your teeth feel as if they do not touch correctly, please call the office. This problem can be solved with a quick adjustment to the filling.

6. Maintaining your Fillings: Fillings do not last forever. With improper maintenance, fillings can wear and breakdown. Proper brushing and flossing is recommended to help you retain your fillings. Regular six-month cleanings will help prolong the life of your fillings.