A temporary is a filling or crown that is placed until the permanent or crown is made and is 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 your temporary. It is not uncommon to have the following reactions or concerns with your 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 since it is a temporary, some foods will help this happen. Stay away from sticky foods or gum. It is important for it to be there, so call us to re-cement it or you can help stick it back in with Vaseline, denture adhesive, or a pasty water and flour mixture, if you can fit it back in. )  Available in most drug stores is a product called Temp-Bond, it is a temporary filling material and will allow you to re-cement the temporary yourself.

IT FEELS HIGH

(Come in, it takes only a few minutes to adjust it. When you are numb you may not always be able to tell if the temporary is sitting just right. You can bruise your tooth if its high. )

IT'S NOT HOW I WANT THE PERMANENT TO LOOK

(Don't worry, your permanent will look much better. )

IT'S SENSITIVE

(The temporary will not always fit as well as the permanent, so there may be some sensitivity to hot, cold and chewing. If it is too uncomfortable, please call. )

The temporary is very important. It protects the exposed dentin so it is not too sensitive, prevents food from gathering in the preparation, and prevents the prepared tooth from shifting and moving, which would make placing your permanent more difficult. Use your toothbrush to clean the temporary as you normally do your other teeth. DO NOT FLOSS AROUND YOUR TEMPORARY, IT COULD CAUSE IT TO BE DISLODGED.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call. Remember, it will only be a few weeks and it will be worth the wait for your beautiful permanent restoration.