Following Placement of Bonded Tooth-Colored Fillings

Following Placement of Bonded Tooth-Colored Fillings:

• Do NOT chew ice!
• Brush normally. Plaque must be removed daily. Floss teeth at least once daily.
• Have your teeth cleaned regularly. Be certain that your hygienist is aware of your bonded tooth or teeth and avoids using ultrasonic scaling on the bonded tooth surfaces.
• Make sure you are not grinding your teeth at night. If you are, we will need to construct a bite guard to avoid fracturing the bonding and to minimize damage to your bonded teeth as well as your temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
• Don’t bite your fingernails! The force of biting them can crack the bonding.
• Don’t pick at a newly bonded tooth with your fingernail. You could de-bond the restoration or shorten its lifespan. If you feel a rough edge with your tongue, we will refinish the edge.
• Don’t try your new teeth out too soon. Eat a soft diet for the first twenty-four hours. It generally takes about a day for the materials to harden and cure completely.
• To prevent staining, try to avoid or keep to a minimum your intake of coffee, tea, soy sauce, colas, grape juice, blueberries, fresh cherries, and do not smoke.
• To prevent fracture, avoid directly biting with bonded teeth into the following foods: ribs, bones, hand candy, apples, carrots, nuts, hard rolls, hard bread, bagels, or artichokes.
• Try to avoid sugar, because acids produced by sugar can attack the junction between tooth and restoration causing stains and premature loss of the bonded restoration.

Check back as often as you need for information regarding proper after-care or click here to download and print a copy for your records. If any unusual symptoms occur or if you have any questions regarding your post-treatment care, please call the office.