Fillings & Bonding Aftercare
For: Fillings & Bonding
What to expect after a filling or cosmetic bonding, and when a quick adjustment helps. Most people are back to normal the same day.
Questions about your recovery? Call the office where you were treated.
The Most Important Things to Do
- Wait until the numbness wears off before eating or drinking anything hot, so you do not bite or burn your cheek, lip or tongue.
- Watch children closely until their numbness fades, so they do not chew on their lip, cheek or tongue.
- Call us if your bite feels high once the numbness is gone. A quick adjustment prevents soreness.
- After cosmetic bonding, go easy on coffee, tea, red wine and tobacco for the first couple of days, which can stain the new surface.
When to Call Us
- A bite that still feels high or uneven once the numbness is gone.
- Pain when you bite down that does not ease.
- Sensitivity that gets worse instead of better, or lasts beyond a few weeks.
- A filling or bonding that feels rough, sharp, cracked or loose.
What Is Normal Today
- Numbness of the lip, cheek or tongue for a few hours.
- Some sensitivity to cold, sweets or biting pressure for a few days, sometimes a little longer after a deeper filling.
- A sore spot where the anesthetic was given, which fades within a day or two.
Eating & Drinking
- Tooth-colored fillings and bonding are set hard before you leave, so once the numbness wears off you can eat normally.
- If the tooth is sensitive, avoid very cold or very sweet foods for a few days.
Cleaning & Activity
- Brush and floss normally, starting the same day.
- A toothpaste for sensitive teeth can help if the tooth feels sensitive.
- Avoid biting fingernails, pens and ice, which can chip bonding.
Medication
- Mild soreness usually responds to an over-the-counter pain reliever. Take it as directed at your visit or on the label.
Follow-Up Visits
- Keep your regular checkups so we can check your fillings and bonding over time.
Last revised
Questions about your recovery? Call the office where you were treated.