Way to go! You’ve made an important choice to save your tooth. You could have backed down, given up, but instead you charged in – almost hero-like – and saved the day! Well, your tooth at least. Below are some ways to keep up the hero action; no red tights required.

What We Did

Since the root of your tooth was exposed, we completely removed it. Then we filled the tooth with a rubber-like substance to seal it up. After that, we put in a temporary filling. We need to heal up any infection before either giving you a permanent filling or putting a crown on the tooth. This is why it often takes 2 or more visits to complete the therapy.

Some Things to Know

Anesthetic: Your lips, teeth, and tongue may be numb for several hours after your appointment. Avoid chewing and hot foods or liquids until the numbness is entirely gone.

Antibiotics: Keep taking them as prescribed even if you think the infection is gone.

Temporary Filling: A small portion of your filling may wear or break away. This is OK. Call us if the entire filling falls out, though. It’ll need to be replaced.

Next Step

A crown will be placed as the final step. The tooth alone will get dry and brittle over time and can easily crack or break. A crown will prevent this from happening. If you have persistent swelling or pain, please call us right away!

Ouch!

Feeling a little sensitive to hot and cold? Sore gums? No worries; it’s normal. Here’s our favorite home remedy to reduce pain and swelling. It really works!

• 8 oz glass of warm water
• ½ tsp of salt

Mix it up and use it to rinse your mouth 3 times each day. It’ll speed up the healing process and your mouth will thank you!

Take Extra Care

• Avoid sticky foods – NO gum
• Stay away from hard foods
• Try to chew on the opposite side of your mouth for awhile
• Continue brushing and flossing normally