I just got my braces off. Now what?
Local Anesthetic
Local anesthetic, or sleepy juice as we call it, will cause the mouth to be “numb” for approximately 2 – 4 hours.
Watch your child closely to make sure they do not bite, suck, scratch or injure their cheek, lips, or tongue
They may get upset when they realize their mouth feels “different”….Do not be alarmed…let them know the “funny feeling” will go away in a couple hours
Ice cream and popsicles may help to sooth your child until the numbness goes away
Stainless Steel Crown
Your child’s tooth has been covered with a stainless steel crown which has been shaped to fit the tooth and keep it strong
The gum tissue surrounding the tooth may appear to be bleeding or may be purple or gray in color. This is normal and will subside over time
Before the numbness wears off, you can give your child Advil or Tylenol to help with any discomfort she or he may have
White Filling
After placement of a dental filling, teeth may often be sensitive to hot, cold, and pressure for a brief period of time…It may take several weeks to feel “normal” again
Please do not give sticky or chewy food for the rest of the day
Since part of your child’s tooth now has a dental filling it may be more prone to fracture… encourage your child to avoid chewing ice and hard candy to keep the filling intact
Tooth Extraction
Your child should continue to bite on a gauze to control normal bleeding from the site of the extraction for approximately 20 – 30 minutes
No drinking out of a straw for the rest of the day to prevent removal of the natural blood clot that forms where the tooth was
Cold foods are better such as ice cream or a milkshake…please make sure to take the lid off so your child does not use the straw
We recommend a soft diet for 24 hours such as jello, mash potatoes, macaroni and cheese etc… just nothing hot….warm is ok
It is not uncommon to see some bleeding on your child’s pillow tonight…when mixed with saliva it may appear to be a lot….This Is normal
We recommend Children’s Advil or Tylenol to alleviate any discomfort your child may have following the extraction
Sealants
A sealant is a protective coating placed over the grooves of a tooth to prevent food and plaque accumulation where the toothbrush can’t reach
In general, your child should avoid sticky candy such as caramels, laffy taffy, starburst etc… to prevent damage or accidental removal of sealant
Space Maintainer
The purpose of your child’s space maintainer is to maintain or prevent loss of any space so that the permanent teeth can erupt freely
A metal band has been placed around one or more of your child’s teeth to hold the space maintainer with special Fluoride cement
Please help your child to avoid sticky, chewy foods and candy as this could cause the bands surrounding the teeth to loosen
We recommend waiting 1 hour to eat after placement