POST-OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS:
CLINICAL CROWN LENGTHENING
Discomfort
Pain relief medication will be prescribed. Ibuprofen (600 mg) 4 times daily and Tylenol (1000 mg) 4 times daily can be alternated every 3 hours or so. Tylenol #3 may also be prescribed. This is a strong painkiller and should only be used if other drugs are not effective.
Swelling
To avoid swelling, use a cold pack (ice or frozen vegetables) wrapped in a moist towel on the side of your face — 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off for the first 12 hours following surgery. Swelling peaks at 72 hours and takes approximately 1 week to completely resolve.
Bleeding
It is not unusual to have some slight bleeding. If the site continues to bleed, try to relax and apply constant pressure with moist gauze or a moistened tea bag for 30 minutes. In order to avoid bleeding, keep your head elevated during the first evening, discontinue your exercise regimen for 1 to 2 days, restrict yourself to a soft diet, and do not smoke. As well, do not rinse your mouth, spit, drink through a straw, or drink alcohol for 24 hours following surgery. You may want to cover your pillow in order to avoid staining the cover the night following surgery.
Oral Hygiene
After surgery, it is important to keep your teeth and mouth as clean as possible. The prescribed antibacterial mouth rinse is to be used twice daily for 4 days after surgery and then is applied gently to the surgical area with a cotton swab. Additionally, warm salt-water rinses (1/2 tsp salt in warm water) can be used several times daily. The non-treated areas can be brushed normally. If a periodontal dressing is placed, it may fall off on its own. Do not be alarmed if this occurs. The dressing may be gently removed with your fingers if it becomes loose. Do not brush your teeth or rinse your mouth for the first 24 hours following surgery.
Post-operative Appointments
You will be seen 1 to 2 weeks after the surgery for suture removal and oral hygiene instruction. A soft toothbrush can now be used to clean the teeth in the surgical site. Within 2 weeks of the surgery you should begin to resume your usual oral hygiene regime. Floss can be used, but keep it above the gumline. Use of a rubber tip starting 2 weeks after surgery should be used for back teeth only, until the final crown is placed.
Following a clinical crown lengthening surgery, your teeth may be sensitive to heat and cold. This is normal and usually subsides over time. At a second post-operative visit, 3 to 4 weeks after surgery, healing will be monitored. If satisfactory, you will make an appointment with your dentist for the crown preparation 4 to 6 weeks after the time of surgery (possibly longer for a front tooth).