A temporary is a filling or crown that is placed until the permanent filling or crown is made and ready to be placed. It is normal for the gum around your tooth to be a little sore when the anesthesia wears off. This will disappear by tomorrow. Do your best to chew on the opposite side until your next appointment. Chewing sticky foods can sometimes dislodge it. It is not uncommon to have the following reactions or problems with temporary.
- It Feels Rough: Please call us if it is making your tongue sensitive.
- It Came Off: This is probably the most common problem. It is supposed to come off easily and some foods will help in this. Stay away from sticky foods or gum. It’s important for it to be there, so call us and we can re-cement it (or you can push it back into place until you can get in).
- It Feels High: Come in so we can adjust it. You can bruise a tooth if it is high.
- It’s Not How I Want the Crown to Look: Don’t worry; the crown will look much better.
- It is Sensitive: The temporary will not fit as well as the crown will, so there may be some sensitivity to hot and cold and perhaps when chewing. If it is too uncomfortable, please call.
The temporary is very important. It protects the exposed dentin so it is not sensitive. It prevents food from gathering in the preparation, and prevents the prepared tooth from shifting and moving that could make seating the crown more difficult. Use your toothbrush to clean the temporary as you normally do your teeth. Our Dental Assistants will let you know if you will be able to floss around it.
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