Emergency Care:
Many people have discovered that dental emergencies don't always occur from 8-5 on Monday through
Friday. At My Dentist we offer 24/7 emergency care for established patients. Please,
call Dr. Jeff Kline if you have a dental emergency after hours at:
Home: 208-883-3128
Cell: 425-330-1597
or e-mail: jkline@turbonet.com
Here are some temporary remedies for some common dental emergencies:
If your tooth is knocked out
- Place tooth in milk. If milk is not available keep tooth moist in a wet paper towel.
- Don't try to clean the tooth.
- Get to your dentist immediately. The tooth needs to be re-implanted within one hour.
If a filling fell out
- Place a temporary filling material where the filling is missing. You can actually buy temporary filling material called Dent Temp over the counter.
- See the dentist as soon as possible. The decay can spread rapidly even if the tooth is not hurting.
If a crown fell off
- Place the crown back on, using a denture adhesive or vaseline.
- Don't panic.
- If the crown will not stay on using any of these measures then leave the crown off until you see the dentist.
Note: All of these are only temporary measures. See the dentist as soon as possible.
After Care:
You just had a root canal...
In our office we strive for perfection and satisfaction which is why we provide a warranty with all of
our work. Remember that a root canal is a therapy, not a cure. The procedure has a high success rate, but
4% fail. If your root canal fails, we may send you to an endodontist who specializes in root canals and why
they fail. If this is your case, for a period of five years from the date of service we will refund the cost
of a root canal due to failure. This warranty is null and void if the patient does not maintain their 6
month continuing care cleaning appointments in our office.
While you are anaesthetized, "numb", please avoid eating for a couple
hours
You might have had a temporary restoration placed in your tooth:
- If root canal therapy has been started you must schedule an additional appointment at our office so we can complete the treatment.
- If root canal therapy has been completed, you must return to us to have the temporary filling replaced. A crown may be necessary. Please avoid pressure or chewing on the tooth until the permanent restoration is placed.
You may experience some discomfort. This may last anywhere between 2-14 days. Swelling in the affected area may also occur. These are not unusual post-operative events.
You just had a filling...
If you had local anesthesia ("Novocain") there is a tendency to bite one's tongue or cheek and
a conscious effort must be made to avoid this. We ask that you especially observe your child
for this possibility.
Some soreness and stiffness may be experienced for a day or two after the anesthetic has disappeared.
This is normal and should be of no concern to you.
New restorations are often sensitive to hot and cold as the filling material will conduct temperature
changes to the pulp (nerve) of the tooth. We paint an insulating base under all fillings to help alleviate
some of this sensitivity. If the restoration was deep, a sedative cement was also placed under the
restoration to aid in insulation and protection. If a filling is sensitive, depending on the size of
the filling, and other factors, this sensitivity can last from a few days to a few months.
If the filling feels high after the anesthetic has worn off, please call the office and make an appointment
for the filling to be adjusted. A high filling can result in increased sensitivity, possible fracture of the
filling or tooth, and a change in bite. It is virtually impossible to tell if a filling needs adjustment
until the anesthetic has worn off, so please pay attention to this tomorrow.
Amalgam (Silver) Restorations: The silver filling just placed in your tooth will not reach its final hardness
for a period of approximately 24 hours. We suggest soft foods until the next day. Do NOT floss near the new
filling until tomorrow. You may brush normally. At least wait a few hours before eating.
Composite (Tooth-Colored) Restorations: The composite filling has reached its final hardness before you leave
the office. You may feel free to eat anything after the anesthetic has worn off. You may brush normally and
start flossing the new filling today.
Your CEREC Restoration...
Congratulations! You have just received the best dentistry can offer, a porcelain CAD/CAM restoration.
While numb, try not to eat anything and avoid hot liquids. Your gum tissue will be tender after the
anesthetic has worn off. The cleaner you keep the tissue, the sooner it will heal. It it is too tender to
brush you may clean the area with a Q-tip moistened in worm water. Floss every day.
If the tooth feels rough, your bite feels funny, or the tooth begins to get sore, call us right away.
A quick adjustment is often all that is needed to provide relief. You may have mild temperature sensitivity
with the tooth: this is normal and usually disappears in a week or two.
Your New Sealants...
The plastic sealant material just placed on your teeth (or those of your child) has reached its final
hardness. You may now eat, drink, floss and brush normally.
The sealant acts to decrease the likelihood of decay occurring on the chewing surface of the tooth. The
chewing surface is the surface which is most susceptible to decay. The sealant does not protect the flossing
surfaces nor does it protect the surfaces next to the cheek and tongue. You must continue to thoroughly brush
and floss the entire tooth to prevent decay.
The sealant is tinted white so that you can see it easily. Some wear of the plastic will occur as the material
is abraded by food particles, tooth brushing, etc. The material deep in the pits and grooves will be protected
from wear by the adjacent tooth structure and will continue to function for five to seven years. It will
appear as thin thread-like lines on the chewing surface.
Occasionally a sealant will come off. If this occurs, it is usually within the first month after placement.
Therefore, we ask that you look at the sealants frequently in the next few weeks. If one should be absent
please call our office to arrange an appointment for replacement (we will replace sealants at no charge for
a period of one year). It can be reapplied as often as necessary, though a single application may be all
that is needed.
We will check the sealants at every appointment to be certain they are present and functioning correctly.