After your temporary onlay is placed, it is essential to follow these post-operative care instructions provided by the team at Lepore Comprehensive Dentistry in Dunedin, Florida, while you await your final restoration. Immediately after your temporary onlay placement, it is essential to avoid eating or drinking until the anesthesia has worn off to prevent possible injury to your lips, tongue, and cheeks. It’s normal to experience some sensitivity to pressure, heat, and cold for several days following the procedure, but this should pass as your mouth adapts to the temporary onlay.
If you experience discomfort, you can use desensitizing toothpaste. Your temporary restoration may be shaped slightly differently than your original tooth. Your tongue may magnify these minor differences, but you will become accustomed to them within a few days.
You should resume regular brushing and flossing immediately to keep the temporary onlay and supporting tooth free of plaque buildup and decay. However, use care when brushing around it and avoid flossing teeth adjacent to the onlay, as this may cause it to come loose or fall off. It is common for a small portion of the temporary onlay to wear away or break off.
However, if your temporary restoration comes off completely, save the temporary onlay and call your doctor to re-cement it. Your temporary restoration must stay in place to protect the tooth from damage or decay and ensure the proper fit for your final restoration.
If your bite feels uneven, or if you experience persistent pain or sensitivity outside of the norm, it is important to contact the office of Drs. Lepore and Dougherty at (727) 608-4690 for assistance.