You’ve just wrapped up a dental crown placement? That’s great news – your tooth now has the protection it needs! Still, don’t get ahead of yourself and assume life is “back to normal.” You must recover from your treatment for its full benefits to appear. During that time, you’ll notice certain effects that deserve careful handling. Your Virginia Beach dentist is here to help you get through them. So, here’s a primer on what to expect after getting a dental crown and how to manage your recovery.
What to Expect from Dental Crown Aftercare
While you recover from crown treatment, a few short-lived effects will likely occur. These include the following:
Some Temporary Numbness
While dentists mainly use anesthesia while “prepping” a tooth for its crown, they can also apply it during placement. That means you may feel temporary numbness after your treatment.
You should be careful when (or if) your tooth is still numbed. While having that experience, you could unknowingly injure yourself due to not feeling pain. Such an incident could aggravate bruising or inflammation at the anesthetic injection site.
Mild Post-Treatment Discomfort
Any anesthetics given during treatment won’t last that long; their effects should fade within a day or so. However, you can expect some post-treatment soreness at that point.
If you didn’t know, dental crown treatment alters your tooth’s structure. It removes small portions of enamel to ensure the final cap fits well. As a result, the tooth may ache a little once the anesthetic (if any is given) wears off. Bits of its topmost layer were shaved off for fitting purposes.
Sensitivity to Heat, Cold, or Pressure
Lastly, your crowned tooth may feel sensitive to external forces for a while. The most common of these are hot and cold temperatures.
In rarer cases, a crowned tooth can be sensitive to pressure when you bite down. This effect usually occurs when your crown’s fit is off. Therefore, you’ll need to talk to your dentist if or when you have it.
Tips on Managing Dental Crown Aftercare
To work through the effects above, consider using these tips:
- Avoid Hot Liquids & Foods – While waiting for treatment anesthetic to fade from your body, don’t drink hot liquids or chew hot foods.
- Use Store-Bought Medicine – Take over-the-counter pain relievers to ease your discomfort. Good examples of these are Advil, Tylenol, etc.
- Rinse with Salt Water – If possible, rinse your mouth with warm salt water after treatment. This step will soothe your irritated mouth tissues.
- Remember Good Oral Care – Crowned teeth can still decay. So, brush them twice daily and floss between them once daily.
Having read the facts above, you now know what to expect after getting a dental crown. Keep that knowledge in mind as you undergo recovery!
About the Practice
Smile by Design is based in Virginia Beach, VA. As led by Drs. Santos, Folck, and Squire, our practice is truly committed to giving each patient a stellar smile! That means we provide treatments that span preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as emergency dental care. Of course, these offerings also include high-quality dental crowns that can protect your teeth. For more details or to book a visit, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (757)-499-9639.