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Home Care Instructions

What to Expect After a Cosmetic Reconstruction

After a cosmetic reconstruction, it will take some time to get used to how your bite feels. You’ll likely need several days to adjust to the way that your teeth or their position has changed. If you experience any issues with your bite, give us a call right away (707-800-3556) to schedule an appointment to adjust your reconstruction.

Santa Rosa Dental Braces

Some degree of sensitivity to cold and heat is to be expected while your teeth are healing from the procedure. Your gums might also be sore for the first few days afterwards. You can reduce pain and swelling by using a rinse of 1 tsp salt in a cup of warm water three times daily. If you’re still experiencing discomfort, over the counter pain relievers like Motrin or Ibuprofen may be effective - discuss with Dr. Frey or your doctor before taking over the counter pain relievers.

Your speech may also be affected for a few days. This will change quickly as you adjust to your new bite. It’s also common to experience more salivation than normal, this will also return to normal in around one week.

Mark S. Frey, DDS - Santa Rosa cosmetic dentist

Home Dental Maintenance

You’ll need to continue your daily routine of brushing and flossing. Keeping your new teeth free of plaque is vitally important; you’ll also need to have regular cleanings to keep them in good condition.

Avoid eating foods or chewing on anything that can chip or crack teeth, such as peanut brittle or candied peanuts, ice, pencils or fingernails as well as hard candies. Try to avoid smoking, red wine, coffee, tea and berries, since all of these can stain your new teeth.

If you play sports, we can make a custom mouth guard to protect your teeth. We can also provide you with a night guard if you tend to grind your teeth in your sleep. It takes time to get used to the way that your new smile looks and feels, but we’re happy to help you if you have any questions or concerns.

Home Dental Care After Crown and Bridge Work

Crowns and bridges typically require two to three appointments. At the first appointment, we’ll take molds of your mouth and prepare your teeth for the procedure. We’ll place temporary crowns or bridges to protect your teeth while we make your custom dental restorations. After the appointments, your lips, tongue and the roof of your mouth may still be numb from the anesthetic. Until this completely wears off, avoid hot beverages and foods to prevent burning your mouth.

Temporary crowns can come off occasionally. If this happens to your crown, call us for an appointment. Bring the crown with you so that we can replace it as quickly as possible. The temporary crown needs to stay in place to keep your teeth from moving until your permanent restoration is completed.

You can protect your temporary crown or bridge by staying away from gum or any hard or sticky foods. If you can, chew using the other side of your mouth. Continue brushing as normal, but be careful flossing; don’t pull up on the floss, since this can pull your temporaries out of place. Instead, pull out the floss from the side while you floss around your temporary crown.

After your appointments, you’ll probably experience pressure and temperature sensitivity. This is normal and will subside within the first few weeks after your final restoration is placed. Any pain or discomfort can be managed using over the counter pain relievers as directed by our staff. If you experience persistent pain, your bite is uneven or you have any questions or concerns about your dental care, call us at (707) 800-3556.

After Tooth Extraction

After having a tooth extracted, there will be some bleeding until a clot forms and the healing process begins. This is why you’ll need to bite a gauze pad for the first 30 minutes to an hour after your appointment. If the bleeding continues, replace the gauze pad and bit down firmly for another 30 minutes. You may need to repeat this process several times before the bleeding stops.

After the bleeding stops, you’ll need to be careful not to dislodge the clot. Don’t smoke, drink alcoholic beverages, use straws or rinse vigorously or brush near the extraction site for the next three days to keep the clot in place and promote healing. Keep exercise to a minimum for the first day, since this can increase your blood pressure and lead to bleeding.

Pain and swelling after an extraction is common. Swelling can be reduced with an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables. Take pain relievers as prescribed to control pain and discomfort. Swelling and pain will generally subside after the first two days.

If your medication doesn’t seem to be keeping the pain under control, call our office. If you’ve been prescribed antibiotics, take the entire course of treatment, even after any signs of infection have disappeared. Drink plenty of fluids and eat soft foods. You can eat as soon as it’s comfortable for you to do so.

24 hours after your procedure, you should resume your usual dental care routine. Brush and floss at least once per day to keep your mouth clean and speed up the healing process. In a couple of days you’ll be able to return to your normal daily routine. If you experience severe pain, heavy bleeding, swelling which persists for more than three days or have any reactions to your medications, call us immediately at (707) 800-3556.

Caring for Your New Composite Fillings

If anesthetic has been used while placing your composite fillings, you may experience numbness for several hours afterwards. Avoid chewing or drinking hot beverages until the numbness has completely subsided to avoid burns or biting your tongue or lip.

You may experience some sensitivity to pressure, heat and cold afterwards as well as mild pain at injection sites. Over the counter pain relievers may be prescribed to help alleviate the discomfort. If the pain or sensitivity becomes worse or persists for more than a few days, call our office.

Your new composite fillings are fully set before you leave our office, so you can chew as soon as the numbness wears off completely. If your new bite feels uneven, your pain persists or you have any concerns about your dental care or any home dental maintenance questions, please call us at (707) 800-3556.

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Jeff L.
Jeff L.
1674757839
Excellent dentist, very professional and friendly team! Thank you!
Nicholas L.
Nicholas L.
1673576417
Great experience and friendly staff highly recommend for dental care.
Bonnie B.
Bonnie B.
1668642846
I've been going to Dr. Frey for over 18 years. My dental care has been excellent.
Jann A.
Jann A.
1650562411
Dr. Frey has been my dentist for years. He replaced eight of my front upper teeth with beautiful crowns! He is a committed professional that will honestly advise you on procedures you need, or more unusual, the procedures you don't or can delay. His staff is knowledgeable and friendly!
Dahye J.
Dahye J.
1632331162
Fran S.
Fran S.
1632183008
Warm reception from entry door through the whole office. Polite, pofessionals. Have been taken care of my dental care for a lot of years. Highly recommend them.
Clay S.
Clay S.
1631762152
Pleasant, courteous, efficient Dentist and other staff.
Larry U.
Larry U.
1629237599
makes going to dentist fun
Laura O.
Laura O.
1628821890
PAUL B.
PAUL B.
1620264013
My first dentures officially started today with castings. I anticipated it being uncomfortable and it was but this process was painless. Next stop the model.
Bette Rice V.
Bette Rice V.
1604355267
I’ve been a patient of Dr. Mark Frey for many, many years and have had lots of basic dentistry as well as restorative and cosmetic dental work completed. He has walked me through each procedure, included me in the planning and provided painless treatment to give me teeth that make me proud to smile! Years ago when I was looking for a dentist (mine had retired) a good friend , who was a very committed periodontal hygienist, recommended him. I have never been disappointed. He stays current regarding the most current and effective dental treatment plans. His entire staff is amazing.....Angel, office manager; Bonnie, his right hand assistant; Aimee, his fabulous hygienist. I have total faith in this dental practice and would feel confident recommending them to anyone!
Lynn C.
Lynn C.
1601938730
I felt very safe going back to see Dr. Frey at long last. And I really needed the visit as I knew I needed more than a cleaning appointment! They are wearing so much PPE that I am surprised that they can work efficiently, and there was air flowing through the room as well, and lots of hand sanitizer everywhere. And of course, they are very nice and friendly people and Dr. Frey is a great dentist!
Nancy N.
Nancy N.
1600987204
I feel so comfortable because they are so caring and professional.
Cameron T.
Cameron T.
1597078018
Amazing, love the place and the people.
Vince G.
Vince G.
1594329584
Dr Frey does fantastic work and never tries to sell you services you don't need. 100% on the level. The hygienists are fantastic as well. I have some super sensitive spots on my teeth and a low threshold for pain and, despite that, Corrine always gets me through the cleaning with no stress. Angel at the front desk demonstrates great attention to detail in keeping your procedures on track and your billing straight. Even though I visited today, during the time of coronavirus, I felt safe due to their safety procedures.
Chelsey D.
Chelsey D.
1593297583
Lindsey H.
Lindsey H.
1545094146
I love this office. Dr. Frey is by far the best dentist I have ever seen. He is so gental, competent, and he makes you feel at ease. The office staff are all very friendly and wonderful, too! I have received great care from them. My temporary crown fell off and they squeezed me in and fixed it the very next day! I drive for three hours just to come to this office. I highly recommend them if you are looking for a great dentist.
K O.
K O.
1543103926
I wrote below review 4 years ago. Last night my front tooth/crown fell out... 20 minutes after leaving a message on Dr Frey's emergency message line, he called me back and made an appt to fix my tooth at 10am today - Saturday - even tho office was closed & staff were enjoying their Thanksgiving weekend. Amazingly speedy service! Thank you once again for being an awesome, caring dentist!_________Awesome dentist & team. It's a comfort to have the assurance of quality, professional, state of the art dental care. I am always given careful, patient service and I can count on attention to detail. On top of this, it's a pleasure to see everyone here for routine visits. Thank you!
Jill M.
Jill M.
1542405946
My daughter and I just had our first visits and we could not be happier. Everything was explained, the entire office was kind and there was no “upselling”. We were referred by a friend and I’ll be referring people too. Thank you!
Megan F.
Megan F.
1541698249
5 stars! Great Dentist! My son used to have anxiety but today he was calm and relaxed! We are very happy!
Evan G.
Evan G.
1541538510
Probably THE most together dental office I have ever visited. Quick, thorough, professional, friendly, really put me at ease. Their work is TOP notch. Two Thumbs up +.
Susie M.
Susie M.
1535137799
I am serial tooth-grinder, and did a lot of damage. Dr. Frey and his amazing team reconstructed my smile. They have my highest recommendation.
HEIDI B
HEIDI B
1526360006
This is a very relaxing atmosphere with excellent dental care. The staff is caring, knowledgeable and fun.
Jenna K.
Jenna K.
1522210213
Dr Frey and his staff were compassionate and understanding about my dental history, very informative and explained my treatment plan perfectly. I’m excited to be a patient.
Penelope H.
Penelope H.
1520558163
Radrodro V.
Radrodro V.
1509671346
Very friendly staff and thank you Dr Frey for taking time to talk and explain things to me.
Kerri G.
Kerri G.
1498018479
Always friendly and caring staff.
rhona K.
rhona K.
1489643633
Its a place you always look forward for your next visit. Its that GOOD.
Eric B.
Eric B.
1489019803
As good as it can be!
Hunter P.
Hunter P.
1484849994
Donna R.
Donna R.
1478740126
Dr. Frey, Bonnie and Angel were all wonderful! He is gentle and very competent. Definitely knows what he's doing!
Josephine B.
Josephine B.
1478645189
Competent, caring, cheerful.
Norm C.
Norm C.
1469662456
As usual, the doc is the best and so is the staff.However, maybe it's just me but I found it difficult to get to the "Review" portion.
Melba M.
Melba M.
1465334435
I am hoping you make 5 star tooth repair as i do not know where to get any quality dental work here in sonoma calif.If you can e-mail me before 5 pm today it is tuesday my home number is 869-8095 my name is Melba an emergency
Elizabeth du P.
Elizabeth du P.
1434499295
My 3- and 4-year-old boys just had their first visit and seemed to enjoy it!! (The prizes at the end were a big deal!) Thank you!!
Mary B.
Mary B.
1413248114
I've had some terrible experiences at dental offices but I have yet to endure a bad one at Dr. Frey's. He recently fit me into a busy day when I had an emergency and as usual, showed me much compassion and gave me suggestions if the fix didn't work. So far so good. I'm always happy with the professional and pleasant staff, especially Angel and Aimee. I've recommended several people to Dr. Frey and will continue to do so as long as he has a practice.
Vaughn S.
Vaughn S.
1377257884
Dr. Frey, Angel, Betty and the Whole Staff are great!!
Sophie F.
Sophie F.
1374127759
Hillary R.
Hillary R.
1373601656
Anet D.
Anet D.
1351874139
Thank you, Dr. Frey, for seeing me right away when I broke a crown that was 20 years old and had been put in by a dentist in another city. I really appreciate that you worked through your lunch time to fix it. I value your skill and the way you take care of your patients. Thank you so much.
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