After Dental Implant Surgery

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

Bleeding

Some 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 cold moist gauze pad placed directly on the bleeding wound for 60 minutes. If bleeding continues please call for further instructions.

Swelling

Swelling is a normal occurrence after surgery. To minimize swelling, apply an ice bag or towel filled with ice on the cheek in the area of surgery. Apply the ice bag to the affected area 20 minutes on, 10 minutes off, for the remainder of the day of surgery, and for as much of the next day as possible.

Diet

Drink plenty of fluids. Avoid hot liquids or food. Soft foods such as eggs, tuna salad, flakey fish, and oatmeal should be eaten for the first month following implant surgery.  Meal replacement drinks are a good supplement at any time. Whenever possible during the healing phase, it is recommended that you do not eat directly on the implant site. Following one month, a normal diet may slowly be resumed as instructed by your doctor.

Pain

You should begin taking pain medication as soon as you feel the local anesthetic wearing off. 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 4-6 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.

Smoking

Studies have shown that oral surgical wounds heal more slowly if the patient smokes following surgery. In addition, smoking has been proven to lower implant success rates and increased bone loss around implants. To help make your implant(s) successful AVOID SMOKING.

Oral Hygiene

Good oral hygiene is essential to good healing. If you are prescribed Peridex, start it 2 days postoperatively and it should be used twice daily, after breakfast and before bed. Be sure to rinse for at least 60 seconds then spit it out. Do not eat or drink for 1 hour after rinsing with the Peridex. Warm salt water rinses (teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) should be used at least 4-5 times a day, 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. Exercise may cause throbbing or bleeding to 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 Dentures

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.