Care and Comfort

Infection controls and general precautions help us safeguard both employees and clients.  

Dr. Foxhall and our entire team adhere to the procedures recommended by several federal agencies: the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Among these precautions are:  

• Utilizing disinfectant hand soap
• Keeping gloves and face masks
• Disinfecting every surface and countertop
• Every piece of equipment is sterilized before use
• Proper disposal of materials  

Additionally, an autoclave—a machine that uses heat, pressure, and steam to kill bacteria and viruses—sterilizes all reusable instruments, including dental handpieces.  

Advanced Technology  

We use the newest technological advancements to improve the comfort and quality of your dental care.

• To improve the accuracy of patient care, our practice makes use of High-Power Microscopes. Because of these, we can produce extremely accurate fit and finish dental restorations. The microscope also minimizes glare by focusing a light beam directly on the teeth.
• We use Electric Handpieces for the most accurate parts of restorative procedures. As a result, your tooth and your new restoration—a dental crown, veneer, or filling—have incredibly precise interfaces, which will also bring more comfort to you.
• Dr. Foxhall utilizes Digital Imaging Technologies within the office. Radiographs enable us to detect cavities in between your teeth, determine bone level, and analyze the health of your bone. We can also examine the roots and nerves of teeth, diagnose lesions such as cysts or tumors, as well as assess damage when trauma occurs. Moreover, exposure with digital imaging time is about 50 percent less when compared to traditional radiographs.
• When necessary, we utilize Digital X-rays. They offer more precision since we view the image on a computer monitor, instead of holding up a 35mm film up to the light. Digital X-rays results in 1/6th the radiation exposure to you.
• Dr. Foxhall utilizes Intraoral Camera Technology that helps enhance your understanding of your diagnosis. This very small camera allows our practice to view clear, precise images of your mouth, teeth and gums. Moreover, we can save your images in our office computer to provide a permanent record of treatments.

Home Care Instructions  

We understand that adjusting after a complex or extensive dental procedure can be hard. To minimize your discomfort, we offer extensive aftercare instructions, letting you know what to expect every step of the way.  

After Dental Restorations

Remember that it will take time to adjust to the feel of your new bite. When the bite is altered or the position of the teeth is changed it takes several days for the brain to recognize the new position of your teeth or their thickness as normal.  

If you continue to detect any high spots or problems with your bite, call our office so we can schedule an adjustment appointment. It is normal to experience some hot and cold sensitivity, too.  

Warm saltwater rinses (a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) three times a day will reduce pain and swelling. A mild pain medication (one tablet of Tylenol or Ibuprofen (Motrin) every 3-4 hours) should ease any residual discomfort.

Daily brushing and flossing are a must for your new dental work. Daily plaque removal is critical for the long-term success of your new teeth, as are regular cleaning appointments.

After Crown and Bridge Appointments

Dental crowns and dental bridges usually take two or three appointments to complete. In the first visit, the teeth are prepared, and molds of the mouth are taken. Temporary crowns or bridges are placed to protect the teeth while the custom restoration is being made.  

Since the teeth will be anesthetized, the tongue, lips and roof of the mouth may be numb. Please refrain from eating and drinking hot beverages until the numbness is completely worn off.

Occasionally a temporary crown may come off. Call us a if this happens and bring the temporary crown with you so we can re-cement it. It is very important for the temporary to stay in place, as it will prevent other teeth from moving and compromising the fit of your final restoration.

To keep your temporaries in place, avoid eating sticky foods (gum), hard foods, and if possible, chew on the opposite side of your mouth. It is important to brush normally, but floss carefully and don’t pull up on the floss which may dislodge the temporary but pull the floss out from the side of the temporary crown.

After Tooth Extraction

After tooth extraction, it’s important for a blood clot to form to stop the bleeding and begin the healing process. That’s why we ask you to bite on a gauze pad for 30-45 minutes after the appointment. If the bleeding or oozing still persists, place another gauze pad and bite firmly for another 30 minutes. You may have to do this several times.

After the blood clot forms, it to let it heal. To do so, we recommend the following practices:  

• Do not rinse vigorously, suck on straws, smoke, drink alcohol or brush teeth next to the extraction site for 72 hours. These activities will dislodge or dissolve the clot and retard the healing process.  
• Limit vigorous exercise for the next 24 hours as this will increase blood pressure and may cause more bleeding from the extraction site.
• You may feel some pain and experience some swelling. An ice pack or an unopened bag of frozen peas or corn applied to the area will keep swelling to a minimum. The swelling usually subsides after 48 hours.
• Take pain medications as prescribed. If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time, even if signs and symptoms of infection are gone.  
• It is important to resume your normal dental routine after 24 hours. This should include brushing and flossing your teeth at least once a day.

After a few days you will feel fine and can resume your normal activities. If you have heavy bleeding, severe pain, continued swelling for 2-3 days, or a reaction to the medication, call our office immediately.  

After Tooth-Colored Fillings

When an anesthetic has been used, your lips and tongue may be numb for several hours after the appointment. Avoid any chewing and hot beverages until the numbness has completely worn off. It is very easy to bite or burn your tongue or lip while you are numb. You may chew with your composite fillings as soon as the anesthetic completely wears off.

It is normal to experience some hot, cold & pressure sensitivity after your dental filling appointment. Injection sites may also be sore. Ibuprofen (Motrin), Tylenol or aspirin (one tablet every 3-4 hours as needed for pain) work well to alleviate the tenderness.  

If pressure sensitivity persists beyond a few days or if the sensitivity to hot or cold increases, your bite feels uneven, you have persistent pain, or if you have any other questions or concerns, please call our office.

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