After Placement of Dental Implants

Do not disturb the wound. Avoid rinsing, spitting, or touching the wound on the day of surgery. There will be a metal healing abutment protruding through the gingival (gum) tissue.

Bleeding

Bleeding can be controlled by biting on a gauze pad placed directly on the bleeding wound. Gauze is changed every 30 minutes until the bleeding is controlled (the red on the gauze is approximately 1/2 inch or less in diameter). It is expected that you will need to change the gauze for two to  three hours. Please call our office immediately if the gauze is red from edge to edge after three hours or at any time if your mouth is filling up with blood. Some bleeding or redness in the saliva is expected for a day or two.

Swelling

Swelling is a normal occurrence after surgery. An ice bag applied to the face (30 minutes “on” and 30 minutes “off”) the first 24 hours after surgery will minimize swelling.  Leave ice off at bedtime and resume its use in the morning until 24 hours after surgery.

Diet

Soft foods should be eaten on the day of surgery. Do not eat or drink anything hot until the numbness has gone away.  Return to a normal diet as soon as you can comfortably do so unless otherwise directed.

Pain

You should begin taking pain medication as soon as you feel the local anesthetic wearing off. For mild pain, 1 or 2 Tylenol (acetaminophen)  may be taken every 4 hours. Do not exceed 3 grams per day of Tylenol/acetaminophen. Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) may be taken instead of Tylenol. Ibuprofen, bought over the counter comes in 200 mg tablets: 2 tablets may be taken every 4-6 hours as needed for pain. Do not exceed 3.2 grams of ibuprofen per day. For moderate to severe pain, the prescribed medication should be taken as directed. Do not take any of the above medication if you are allergic, or have been instructed by your doctor not to take it.

Antibiotics

If antibiotics are prescribed, be sure to take them as directed.

Oral Hygiene

Good oral hygiene is essential to good healing. The day after surgery, (if prescribed) Perioguard oral rinse should be used twice daily, after breakfast and before bed. Be sure to rinse for at least 30 seconds then spit it out. If Perioguard is not prescribed, warm salt water rinses (pinch of salt in a 1/2 glass of warm water) should be used 4 times a day, especially after meals. Resume regular toothbrushing but be gentle when brushing around surgical areas.

Activity

Keep physical activities to a minimum immediately following surgery. Increased physical activity may cause throbbing or bleeding. If this occurs, you should postpone exercising. Full activity can be resumed once your pain is controlled with over the counter medication and you are eating adequately.

Wearing your Prosthesis

Your oral surgeon will let you know whether or not you may wear your partial dentures, flippers, or full dentures.