Surgical Instructions
Post-Op Children's Dentistry
Please note the following instructions for common children's treatments:
Stainless Steel Crowns
Your child has had stainless steel crowns placed to restore badly decayed baby teeth. The decay was removed and in some cases, if the decay was into the nerve of the tooth, the nerve was removed and a special medication placed. This procedure is called a pulpotomy.
The crowns are cemented in place. The gums around them may be tender for a day or two. The child may mention that his/her “bite” feels funny at first but this will correct itself. Brush these crowns just like the other teeth. They will get wiggly and fall out with the baby tooth at the normal time.
Your child must avoid sticky foods like toffee, sticky candy, suckers, bubble gum, etc. as these things may pull off a crown. If a crown does come off they are easily re-cemented but this must be done as soon as possible. Keep the crown and phone your dentist’s office for an appointment to have this done.
Spacers
Your child has had a tooth removed and a spacer cemented. The spacer is meant to hold the space between two teeth for the adult tooth to erupt into in the future. When the adult tooth can be seen erupting through the gums, it is time for the spacer to be removed.
Brush the spacer to keep plaque and food from sticking to it. Your child must avoid sticky foods like toffee, sticky candy, suckers or bubble gum as these may damage or pull the spacer out of place. If this happens, the spacer can be easily re-cemented if done as soon as possible. Keep the spacer and phone your dentist’s office for an appointment.
Baby Tooth Extraction
Baby teeth are shorter than adult teeth but may be much wider. The socket will typically bleed for half an hour. Biting on gauze for 30 minutes, if possible, will help keep this under control. Any infection or abscess in the baby tooth should go away once the tooth is removed so no additional antibiotics will be necessary. Children’s Tylenol or Advil is all that may be required for the first few hours after treatment. Brushing can be started again the very next day. Choose foods for the first day that aren’t going to hurt the healing gums.
