The after care instructions below are a guide only and will be discussed in greater detail at the time of your appointment with us.

Please call us if you are having any concerns relating to your recent dental care for the following:

• Implants 
• Orthodontic retainers
• Orthodontic appliances
• Separating elastics prior to braces placement
• Minor surgical procedures
• Scale and clean
• Removal of baby teeth
• Whitening at Home
• ZOOM chairside whitening
• New Dentures
• Crown and Bridge work

Post operative instructions for Implants:

Following your implant procedure:

Avoid vigorous activities for a few days
Eat soft nutritious food like soup, fish, pasta, mince or yogurt and avoid crunchy or chewy foods like steak
No pressure should be applied to the implant site
To prevent bleeding:

Immediately after the implant placement stay closed on gauze pack for 20-30minutes. If bleeding continues place gauze for a further 30minutes. Slight oozing may occur for a day or two
To reduce swelling:

Apply an ice-pack using a cycle of 15 minutes on side of face adjacent to implant and 15 minutes off, for the rest of the day
If swelling persists after 48 hours apply a warm moist towel
For pain relief:

Take anti-inflammatory medicine like Ibuprofen, Advil or Aleve
Additional stronger pain medication can be prescribed for you
To prevent infection:

Take prescribed antibiotics until you complete the whole course
Keep the site clean by rinsing after eating, but do not attempt to floss or brush the new implant until after your review visit.
Routine cleaning of the rest of your mouth should continue.
Regular rinsing with warm salty water promotes healing – start on the day after your implant procedure and continue for 10-14 days
Call our surgery if any concerns including:

Pain or increased swelling after the first 2-3 days
Pus visible or bad taste coming from the site
Suture line opening or sutures falling out prior to review visit

Care for Orthodontic Retainers:

Congratulations on achieving your new straight teeth!

Follow instructions below to maintain your straight teeth:

Removable Retainer (clear plastic) – wear as instructed:
On the weekend or during holidays you wear it all the time except when you are eating, playing sport or brushing teeth.
On a school day it would be ideal to wear as above but if it is difficult due to lunchtimes – you must wear your retainer for at least 16 hours per day – as soon as you get home wear it until the next day.
Keep it safe by storing in a plastic box labelled with your contact details.
To clean:
It is important to keep your retainer clean as bacteria will grow on it making it smell or taste bad which can lead to gum infection and the risk of tooth decay.
Do not use hot water to clean or soak your retainer as it will warp and no longer fit
After eating rinse your mouth and retainer with water then put it back in. Thoroughly brush your teeth and gums and retainer in the morning and before bed at night – using a soft toothbrush with toothpaste.
Soaking your retainer in an equal mix of white vinegar and water for around 1/2 hour every second day will reduce any retained bacteria.
Fit:
If you find your retainer becomes tight or is not sitting up around your teeth properly – it generally is a sign you have not been wearing it enough. Contact our practice ASAP for a review to prevent the teeth from moving.
Tips:
Retainers left in pockets, bags, or in the car may be lost or damaged.
Don’t wrap your retainer in tissues or serviettes as they can be thrown away with the rubbish.
Don’t leave your retainer where your pet can reach it as they may chew it!
Fixed retainers (bonded wire behind teeth) –

Ensure good tooth brushing & floss with super-floss, or as per instructions. If your retainer wire becomes loose or broken contact us ASAP for a repair. There can be a cost to replace lost or broken retainers.

Care for Orthodontic Removable Appliances:

Your appliance (plate) is designed to move your teeth into a better position. It may take a few days to adjust to wearing your appliance. At first you may produce more saliva and sound different when you speak but this will improve quickly.

Wear all the time except when eating, playing sport, brushing your teeth

It won’t work to change your teeth if you don’t wear it consistently!

Keep it safe by storing in a plastic box labelled with your contact details.

It is important to keep your plate clean as bacteria will grow on it making it smell or taste bad. An unclean plate can lead to gum infection and increase the risk of tooth decay.

To clean:
Rinse your mouth & plate with water after eating before putting it back in. Thoroughly brush your teeth and gums and appliance in the morning and before bed at night – use a soft toothbrush with toothpaste.

Fit:
Contact our dental practice if your plate becomes loose or needs repair ASAP. Regular review and adjustment appointments are important.

Tips:
Plates left in pockets, bags, or in the car may be lost or damaged.
Don’t wrap your plate in tissues or serviettes as they can be thrown away with the rubbish.
Pets love to chew plates – never leave them where a pet can access them!
Care of Orthodontic Separators (spacers) :

These small blue rubber rings, are placed between your back teeth usually for a week prior to your appointment to fit your braces. They create a small space to allow an orthodontic band to fit around your molar teeth.

You may experience some tenderness for the first few days after having the separators inserted. If the discomfort becomes too great Panadol or Nurofen may be required.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW:

Eat normally but avoid sticky foods like toffees, minties, & chewing gum, which may dislodge the separators and do not floss between the separated teeth.
If the separators fall out only 1-2 days before your appointment you may not need to have them replaced, but if they come away sooner please ring for an appointment to have them re-inserted.
After your Scale and Clean – home care:

After today’s clean your gums should heal and stop bleeding in around 5-10 days if you follow a thorough home maintenance routine. Remember healthy gums do not bleed easily.

Brush twice daily with a small soft toothbrush for 2 minutes ensuring all plaque is removed especially from gumline
Use the interdental brush (i.e. pikster) or floss daily as demonstrated to remove bacterial plaque from between teeth
You may be instructed to rinse with Savacol mouthwash (with chlorhexidine) for up to 2 weeks as per bottle instructions, to aid the healing of the gums
Aim to drink 2 litres of water daily to ensure good salivary flow, which helps to control the bacteria in your mouth
Cleaning your tongue with a tongue scraper reduces the plaque in your mouth and helps to decrease halitosis (bad breath)
Regular 6 monthly dental cleans are recommended to keep your gums healthy, which in turn assists with your general health!
Further appointments may be required if your gums continue to be inflamed or if the tartar/calculus is more difficult to remove. Please ring us if you have any further inquiries

After having a Baby Tooth Removed:

If lip, tongue or cheek are numb, take care not to suck or chew affected area to prevent injury until normal sensation returns
Keep gauze pack in place for up to 15 minutes and change if needed every 15 minutes for first hour
Avoid placing fingers or foreign objects in mouth
Over-rinsing can cause the wound to bleed more but sipping water is fine after having a tooth removed. Gentle rinsing after the first 30 – 60 minutes is OK. After 3 hours use salty water rinses (½ teaspoon in ½ glass of warm water) to promote healing
Take pain relief (Panadol) if required after numbness wears off
Rest with head elevated for the first few hours and avoid running around
Softer foods may be helpful for the first 24 hours
Any concerns please phone on 3396 4094

Whitening your teeth at home with NITE WHITE 22% Carbamide Peroxide

Wear your custom made whitening trays for 1-2 hours daily to achieve an optimal result in around 2 weeks

Follow Whitening Instructions below:
Floss and brush your teeth. Twist off the clear plastic cap from the syringe & replace with mixing tip
Place a small “teardrop” amount of gel in each tooth compartment in the tray. Each syringe has 6 treatment doses. Use up to one dose per tray
When inserting the trays, be sure that the tray is completely seated but take care not to push the gel out. Remove excess gel with your finger or dry toothbrush. You may see “bubbling” within your trays while wearing them, which is part of the whitening process
After whitening, remove & rinse the trays with cold water as hot water may damage the trays. If necessary use a toothbrush to remove any residual gel. Place the trays in the storage case & store them in a dry, cool place. Rinse & brush excess gel from the teeth
Store any remaining whitening gel in a cool dry place. Top up whitening periodically as required by wearing trays for 1-2 days and purchasing individual whitening syringes when initial kit is completed.

Caring for new Full or Partial Dentures:

It may take time to adjust to your new dentures –

Eating tips:
While adjusting to your dentures begin with softer foods
Cut food into smaller portions
Rinse your denture and mouth with water after eating
To keep clean and reduce bacterial plaque:

Brush your dentures inside and out with a soft brush twice daily
Rest your gums at night by leaving your clean denture out and placing it in a cold glass of water
Soak your denture weekly in water with an added denture cleaning tablet (e.g. Steradent) or alternatively for full dentures only use ½ white vinegar diluted with ½ water for 3-4 hours
Ensure thorough cleaning routine of natural teeth. Especially if a partial denture rests against your own teeth extra care should be taken with those sites.
You may experience pressure or sore spots:

Contact our practice if discomfort continues as your denture may need to be adjusted. Do not attempt to adjust it at home
Rinse with warm salty water to promote healing of your gums
Leave your denture out when possible until tenderness subsides
Wear your denture for 24 hours prior to any adjustment visit
Dry mouth can contribute to sore dentures – sip water often and ask us for products that can help relieve dry mouth
Better fitting dentures:

If your denture is loose it may need a reline to help it to fit better
There are a range of adhesive products that can help keep it firm
Clean the adhesive off daily
Contact our practice with any concerns

Care for a new Crown or Bridge
Congratulations on your new crown or bridge! Below is a list of points to help you care for your new smile:

It can take up to a week to get used to the feeling of having your new crown or bridge in your mouth.
It is possible to experience some sensitivity initially after your crown or bridge has been permanently placed in your mouth. If any sensitivity continues past the first week please contact us.
It is important to keep the gums healthy around the crown through careful tooth brushing and flossing, or by using a small interdental brush (eg pikster) between the teeth. We can instruct you on ways to clean under your bridge.
Although the porcelain is strong it can chip, so care needs to be taken to avoid biting on something very hard like a stone fruit pip or a piece of bone.
Although Crowns/Bridges should last for many years there is no lifetime guarantee. As with your natural teeth they depend on good dental care, therefore regular dental checkups are adviseable.
If you have any concerns about your crown or bridge please contact us