Post Operative Care

Sealant
The sealant material is hardened and your child can resume normal eating.  If your child's bite feels high, it will usually self-correct in a few days. Small pieces of excess sealant may come off 1-2 days after placement of sealant; do not be alarmed.

Silver filling
Avoid eating and flossing on the side of the filling for 24 hours. 
NO really hard foods or ice to prevent fractures – this is forever!

Stainless Steel Crowns
Avoid all sticky foods!! 
In rare event of crown coming off, keep it and call our office immediately!

Extractions
Bite on gauze for 20 minutes or until bleeding stops. 
Soft foods: milkshakes, soups, yogurt, ice cream, juices, smoothies, macaroni and cheese, and mashed potatoes for 24 hours.
Do not drink through a straw for 24 hours.
Begin brushing carefully, but thoroughly, the day after the extraction.
Avoid spicy, hot, salty, sticky, hard, acidic, or crunchy foods for several days.
Gelfoam may be placed, looks like a sponge, if it comes out it is okay or it will dissolve on its own.

Plastic Front Tooth
Do NOT bite into hard foods, toys, fingers, hair clips, or clothes fasteners forever!
No sticky foods.
We strongly recommend a mouthguard that is professionally made to protect the tooth.

Plastic Back Tooth
Sensitivity might be present for up to one month to hot and cold.
NO really hard foods or ice to prevent fractures – this is forever!

Spacers
Avoid sticky and hard foods for the life of the spacer.
In rare event of spacer coming off or breaking, keep it and call our office immediately.
Keep fingers, pencils, pens, and all other objects out of mouth.
Do not try to pry food out of spacer; use a toothbrush and floss.

Laser Gingevectomy/Frenectomy
Soft foods until next morning.
Brush your child's teeth carefully, but thoroughly, the day after your child has the gingevectomy or frenectomy.
Avoid spicy, hot, salty, sticky, hard, acidic, or crunchy foods for several days.
Frenectomy - After 24 hours swipe surgery site with tongue or finger 3-4 times a day to decrease scar tissue formation for a total of 10-14 days

Foods Not to Eat with Spacers, Crowns or Plastic Front Teeth
Gummy Bears or Worms
Tootsie Rolls
Fruit Snacks
Fruit Roll Ups
Suckers
Starbursts
Now-N-Laters
Bubble Gum (Hubba Bubba, Bazooka)
Carmel Corn or Apples
Taffy
Jolly Ranchers
Ice
Jawbreakers
Hard Pizza Crust
Popcorn Kernals
Raw Vegetables
Apples that are not cut up
Thick Potato Chips
Hard Nachos
Peanut Brittle
Nuts
Any Hard or Chewy Candies
If you question it, do not eat it!