After Care Instructions

If local Anesthetic was used during your child’s dental treatment, depending on the local anesthetic used, their mouth will be “numb” for approximately one to four hours.

Watch them closely to see that your child does not bite, scratch, or injure the cheek, lips, or tongue.

The numb feeling from the local anesthetic can cause some children to become anxious and complain of pain because of the strangeness of the feeling. We want to reassure you that this can be a normal response caused by the unfamiliarity of this numb sensation.  Just remain calm and reassure your child that the “funny feeling” will go away and that their mouth will feel normal again soon. 

Following the placement of a filling

After the placement of composite (white) dental fillings , teeth may often be sensitive to hot, cold and pressure for a brief period of time. It is not uncommon for recently filled teeth to require several weeks to feel “normal” again.

Following the placement of a crown

Your child’s teeth have been covered with a stainless steel crown which has been shaped to intimately fit the tooth, held onto the tooth by a fluoride releasing cement. The crown restores the strength to the tooth thereby allowing your child to maintain that tooth until it naturally falls out.

The gum tissue surrounding the tooth may appear to be bleeding or inflamed. This is normal! When preparing your child’s tooth for a crown, it is necessary to fit the crown closely to the gum tissue, resulting in some hemorrhaging and bruising of the tissue. Following placement of the crowns some parents will notice a purple or gray color around the gums; this is also normal and will subside over time. 

When your child receives a pulp/nerve treatment it is usually not necessary to prescribe any pain medication. Children that do experience discomfort usually do fine with Tylenol or Ibuprofen (follow directions on the bottle).