If you’ve long neglected your oral health, or are just unlucky enough to be prone to several oral health problems, your dentist may recommend that you undergo a full mouth reconstruction. This entails using several dental procedures to fix whatever issues you may have with your teeth. If all goes well, this can restore you to perfect (or close to perfect) oral health.
However, each of these procedures also involves its own recovery time, and how well you’re able to manage the aftercare has a lot to do with the overall efficacy of the treatment. With that in mind, here are a few things that you can do to make recovering from a full mouth reconstruction easier.
What to Expect From Full Mouth Reconstruction Aftercare
The amount and difficulty of aftercare that you’ll have to deal with will have a lot to do with what procedures you’re getting. Each kind of restorative treatment has a different level of intensity and will have different effects after treatment. Here’s a brief rundown of several available treatments and what they’ll mean for you:
Dental Fillings
Dental fillings are quick and easy. If you’re trying to use one to patch up a cavity, you should only feel some minor sensitivity for a few days. You should be able to go back to normal the next day.
Dental Crowns
Dental crowns usually require two appointments to complete: one to measure and prepare the tooth, and one to place the actual crown. These must be a few weeks apart to give the lab time to finish your restoration. Once it’s placed, your tooth may be sensitive for a few days, so you may want to switch to soft foods for a few days.
Root Canal Treatment
Root canals involve removing a fair amount of the pulp in the tooth, plus the typical placement of a dental crown. While you should be able to return to normal quickly after the treatment, you should expect to be sore for a few days.
Tooth Extraction
If you’ve had a tooth removed, that will require much more extensive aftercare. This will entail a fair amount of swelling or bruising for a few days, though you should be able to get by with any pain medication you’ve been prescribed. If you weren’t given any, over-the-counter pain medication and cold compresses.
You should also be careful not to dislodge the clot forming in the extraction area. Be sure not to drink through straws, eat chewy foods, spit excessively, or smoke tobacco.
About the Author
Dr. Rupeshar Renkuntla has been helping his patients smile brighter for two decades, and every patient under his care has witnessed firsthand the passion he has for his work. He’s focused, hard-working, and dedicated to being able to help patients smile brighter for many years to come. Dr. Renkuntla first studied dentistry in India before moving to the U.S., where he received his Doctorate of Dental Surgery in Oklahoma.
If you have any questions about a full mouth reconstruction, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (817) 989-2832.