After Placement of Dental Implants

Do not disturb the wound. Avoid rinsing, spitting, or touching the wound on the day of surgery.

Bleeding

Remove the gauze  between the jaws upon arriving home.  Slight bleeding or redness in the saliva is normal for 24 hours. Excessive bleeding (your mouth fills up rapidly with blood) can be controlled by biting on a folded gauze pad placed directly on the bleeding wound for 30 minutes. If bleeding continues please call for further instructions.

Swelling

Swelling is a normal occurrence after surgery. To minimize swelling, place an ice pack to the affected area immediately in a 30 minute on and 5 minute off pattern, as much as possible, for the first 24 hours.  Application of moist heat is indicated after 24 hours.  To do this, a towel soaked in hot water and squeezed out is applied to the affected area.  Maximum swelling can occur as many as 3 days after surgery.

Diet

To help the healing process, try not to miss a meal after surgery.  A liquid diet is wise the day of surgery and then a soft food diet, high in vitamins and protein, is recommended for the next several days.  Do not drink with a straw.  Avoid hot liquids or food.  Increase your fluid intake.  Eat as often as you can for the first few days.  Then solid foods should be added.  Be sure to continue to drink plenty of fluids.  Water, milk,  warm coffee or tea, and orange juice are okay.  Avoid carbonated beverages.

Pain

You should begin taking your prescription/over the counter pain medication as soon as possible after your surgery but only after eating something as it may cause an upset stomach. If you were not given a prescription for pain medication, you should be able to control your pain with over the counter medicine.  For moderate pain, 1 or 2 Tylenol or Extra Strength Tylenol may be taken every 3-4 hours. Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) may be taken instead of Tylenol. Ibuprofen, bought over the counter comes in 200 mg tablets: 2-3 tablets may be taken every 3-4 hours as needed for pain. For 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

Be sure to take the prescribed antibiotics as directed to help prevent infection.

Oral Hygiene

Good oral hygiene is essential to good healing. The night of surgery, use the prescribed Peridex Oral Rinse before bed. The day after surgery, the Peridex should be used twice daily, after breakfast and before bed. Be sure to rinse for at least 30 seconds then spit it out. Warm salt water rinses (teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) should be used at least 4-5 times a day, as well, especially after meals. Brushing your teeth and the healing abutments is no problem. Be gentle initially with brushing the surgical areas.

Activity

Keep physical activities to a minimum immediately following surgery. If you are considering exercise, throbbing or bleeding may occur. If this occurs, you should discontinue exercising. Keep in mind that you are probably not taking normal nourishment. This may weaken you and further limit your ability to exercise.

Wearing your Prosthesis

Partial dentures, flippers, or full dentures should not be used immediately after surgery and for at least 10 days. This was discussed in the pre-operative consultation.