John J. Kelly, DDS is a Chicago-area restorative dentist who offers a unique combination of artistic skill coupled with advanced scientific techniques known by less than 1% of the country's dentists.

Dr. Kelly has studied at the internationally recognized Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies and is certified in Aesthetic and Implant Dentistry. He is a member of the Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, as well as the American Dental Association and Illinois State Dental Association. Dr. Kelly graduated from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry.

Dr. Kelly diagnoses and treats his guests based on the highest ideals of dentistry - the way he would treat his own family. His guests achieve what they thought they could never have - smiles that truly enhance their lives.

kellycomments@aol.com

Dental Care Instructions

At home bleaching
Temporary restorations
Periodontal therapy
Extractions

While bleaching your teeth, normal oral hygiene measures should be followed (flossing and brushing).

Bead the bleaching gel into your custom tray, using caution to not overload the tray with the bleaching gel.

Insert the tray into your mouth over the teeth and gently wipe any excess gel off from around the edges of your tray, taking extra care not to leave any gel on your gums. Do not rinse your mouth since this may dilute the bleaching agent.

If you are planning on wearing your tray during the day, we recommend you wear your tray for 3 consecutive hours each day. You may also sleep in your tray. Many of our patients prefer this method of bleaching.

Never drink, eat or smoke with your trays in.

After completing the daily bleaching session, remove the tray and gently clean it with a toothbrush. Rinse it completely and let dry thoroughly before using again.

What to Expect.
You may experience a slight tingling around your gums. Once again, use caution to not leave the bleaching gel on your gum tissue. This usually happens when you are using too much gel in your tray.

You may have some sensitivity to hot or cold. Always let the office know if you are experiencing abnormal sensitivity. Using a toothpaste made especially for sensitive teeth is also recommended. If the sensitivity is too uncomfortable, stop treatment and advise the office. Usually, most sensitivity stops after several days.

Office Evaluations:
It is extremely important that follow up appointments are made during treatment. These very brief appointments will allow Dr. Kelly and his staff to monitor your progress and evaluate your gum tissue. If necessary, they may make adjustments in your treatment

A temporary is an interim restoration. It is a custom made plastic structure that is made the day your tooth is prepared for a final restoration. It is designed to protect your teeth from the oral environment and keep your tooth in place until your permanent crown is ready for you.

What does a Temporary Look Like?
Temporaries are made of plastic and look just like teeth. Many of our patients remark “Why do I need a permanent restoration when the temporary feels so good” or “I never knew it was there”.

How do I Care for My Temporary while my permanent restoration is being Made?
The safest thing is to avoid chewing in the area of the temporary. Since most people tend to forget this the next best thing is to watch what you eat. Anything sticky can pull off your temporary. The usual things like taffy, peanut butter, candy and anything gooey. The less obvious things are bagels and any type of bread or cracker will do the same. Nothing too hard. The temporary is plastic and can break. Please brush normally.

My temporary is loose or comes off what do I do?
Most times the temporary will fit right back on the tooth. One of the most important things is that it is sealed well and does not come back off. Please call our office and we will see you and recement the temporary. Until then, try and place the temporary back on the tooth. You may want to put a very small amount of Vaseline around the edges of the temporary prior to reseating it on your tooth. Avoid chewing in the area until we recement the temporary.

You can take over the counter, non-aspirin, pain medication for any discomfort you may have.

Drink at least 8 glasses of water today to remove any bacteria that is present.

Avoid eating crunchy, spicy or hot foods today i.e. chips, raw carrots, crispy fried chicken.

Rinse with warm salt water if your gums are sore and tender.

Brush gently today even if your gums are tender to help remove the plaque that has started to reform. Always use a gentle fluoridated tartar control toothpaste.

You don't have to floss or use any home care aids the day of your treatment if there is too much sensitivity. Starting the following day, do so daily.

Follow all of your home care instructions exactly as directed. Additionally, keep all scheduled hygiene appointments. These appointments are very important to the success of your treatment.

Please contact the office if you experience any unusual symptoms.

For the first 24 hours:

• No Smoking
• No use of straws
• No carbonated beverages
• No hot liquids (lukewarm is ok)
• No milk or dairy products if you tend to have an easily upset stomach

Do not rinse mouth today. Tomorrow, rinse mouth gently every three to four hours, especially after meals using one-quarter teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water. Continue rinses for several days.

Bleeding. Following extractions, some bleeding is to be expected. When you leave the office, continue to bite down on moist gauze pads for 30 minutes. Change the pads every 30 - 45 minutes depending on bleeding. If persistent bleeding occurs, don't hesitate to call Dr. Kelly.

Swelling. An ice bag of chopped ice wrapped in a towel should be applied to operated area - one half hour on and one half hour off for 4 to 5 hours. Some swelling is to be expected and is normal. If you experience abnormal swelling, please contact the office.

Pain. For mild to average pain, use any non-aspirin type of medication you like i.e. Tylenol. If a pain medication has been prescribed for you, please take it according to prescribed directions.

Diet. Maintain adequate diet by eating soft foods for the first 24 hours. Avoid hard crisp foods such as chips. Examples of soft foods are spaghetti, scrambled eggs, custards, Jell-o, baked potatoes, soup.

Bony Edges. Small sharp bone fragments may work up through the gums during healing. These are not roots. If annoying, return to the office for their simple removal.