After your procedure or treatment, Dr. Garry Lunn strongly recommends following his post-op instructions provided below. Should you have any further questions or concerns not answered by these instructions or found on our frequently asked questions page, please don't hesitate to contact us. Our office is open, Monday to Friday, from 8:00am to 4:30pm and closed on Weekends and Holidays. Quality dental care and client service are our priority.

Nightguard Information:
Your nightguard is a means of protecting and preserving your teeth, gums and jaw joints. At night, it is common for clenching and/or grinding to occur, resulting in wear and tear of the teeth, bone and jaw joint. This is because at night the protective reflexes against clenching and grinding are "asleep", causing your teeth or muscles to feel sore, sensitive or tired in the morning.

Your nightguard will not stop you from clenching or grinding, but it will manage the habit and protect the jaw system. It will not change your bite or alter the position of your teeth.

Each individual takes a different amount of time to get used to the appliance, so that they may wear it throughout the night. Be patient. Wear it while you are awake. Get used to it before trying to sleep with the appliance. Increase the amount of time you wear it until you feel you can sleep with the appliance in the mouth.

When putting your nightguard into place use both hands; don't bite it into place. Initially the appliance may feel snug or tight and be putting uneven pressure on the teeth. The feeling will go away in approximately 10 to 15 minutes as the teeth fit into the appliance. Also when you take it out in the morning the teeth may not feel they fit together properly. Once again in a few minutes the teeth will get use to being in contact together.

Keep the appliance clean with toothpaste and always store it in the container provided. (Please keep the appliance away from pets). The plastic will discolour over time and will wear out depending on how much clenching and grinding occurs.

If you are having difficulty wearing the appliance or have concerns or questions please call us. It is wise to bring it with you to your recall appointments. There is a fee for adjusting your appliance.

Crown and Bridge Instructions:
We take care to ensure the least amount of discomfort after your initial treatment. Additional steps may be taken by yourself once you leave the office.

1. Use a warm salt water rinse frequently for 2-3 days following the procedure. (1 tablespoon salt in half a glass of warm water).

2. Take a pain killer, such as one you would use for a headache, BEFORE the freezing completely disappears. Take one more prior to bedtime. Continue every 6 hours as needed.

3. Continue to keep the area free of bacteria by carefully brushing and flossing. PULL THE FLOSS OUT SIDEWAYS to prevent dislodging the temporary.

4. Avoid extremes of hot or cold temperatures on the side treated.

5. Avoid chewy or sticky foods on the temporary.

6. Should the temporary come off, replace on the tooth if possible with a little Vaseline inside the temporary, and call the office.

Post Surgery Instructions:
Take 400mg of Advil before the freezing comes out and 400mg every 6 hours there after as needed.

Bite on the gauze for one full hour to stop the bleeding. There may be some oozing and red coloured saliva for the first 24 hours. Sit down, and bite on the additional gauze given for 10 minutes should bleeding persist. If unable to stop the bleeding, call Dr. Lunn.

Applying ice to the outside of the surgical area will keep any swelling to a minimum. (15 minutes on and 15 minutes off).

Do not rinse the mouth for the first 24 hours. After 24 hours, rinse with warm salt water for 7 days to enhance healing.

Do not eat or drink until the freezing has worn off.

Avoid alcohol and cigarette smoking for at least 24 hours. Extreme post op pain may occur if you smoke and delayed healing can be expected.

The majority of tissue healing will occur within 7 days. Within three months the tissue should be fully healed over. In three to six months the bone will fill in the surgical site.

What You Should Do After Gum Surgery:
1. When the freezing wears off, you may have some discomfort. Before this happens take the medication indicated. Advil or Ibuprofen 400mg three times a day for 2 days.

2. Please limit yourself to a semi-solid diet and avoid spicy or excessively hot foods for the first day. Avoid eating on the surgical site.

3. Do not be concerned if the sutures placed fall out prior to the post-op appointment in one week's time.

4. Rinse with the medication prescribed (Macdonald's Pharmacy at 746 or 943 or 2182 W. Broadway has the medication). We do not recommend the use of commercial mouth rinses. Warm salt water rinses are helpful after the first day to promote healing. Cold compresses on the outside of the face will decrease any swelling that may occur. Use your tooth brush in all areas except the surgical site.

5. You may follow your regular daily activities. Avoid excessive exertion of any type. Avoid athletics and long exposure to the sun for the first three days after the operation. Also..no swimming.

6. There may be occasional blood in the saliva for the first while after the operation. If there is considerable bleeding, place a piece of gauze formed into the shape of a "U" by holding it between the thumb and index finger. Apply it to both sides of the surgical area and maintain gentle pressure for 10 minutes. Do not remove it during the period to examine it. If bleeding persists, call our office.

After Your First Endodontic Treatment :
The tooth and its surrounding gum tissue may be somewhat tender for a few days after treatment. If necessary, take a pain killer or anti-inflammatory every 4-6 hours and bathe the tooth with warm salt water. A temporary filling has been placed untill your next appointment and portions of it may come away from the tooth. Not to worry. It will not completely come out and the tooth is okay for the time being. As the tooth may be tender to chew on, use caution when chewing but continue to keep the area clean with brushing and flossing. In the unlikely event that the pain should become severe or swelling develops, please call our office.