Dental Implant Surgery

After surgery you should try not to disturb the surgical site(s). Avoid rinsing, spitting, or touching the site(s) on the day of surgery. You may have a temporary healing abutment that can be felt above the gums at the surgical site; do not disturb it.

Bleeding

A small amount of bleeding or redness in saliva is normal during 24 hours after surgery, and should be expected. You can control excessive bleeding by placing a gauze pad directly on the wound and biting down with firm pressure for 30 minutes. If you do this and the bleeding continues please call Brentwood Oral Surgery for further instructions.

Swelling

Swelling is normal after surgery. To minimize swelling, apply an ice pack or wrap an ice-filled plastic bag with a towel and apply it to the cheek next to the surgical site. In the first 36 hours after surgery apply the ice continuously for as long as possible.

Diet

Drink plenty of fluids. Avoid hot liquids or food. Soft foods and liquids should be eaten on the day of surgery. Return to a normal diet as soon as possible unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

Pain Management

Take the painkillers as prescribed to manage the discomfort of the surgery post-operatively. Our preferred analgesic is Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), unless contraindicated. Pain is the worst in the first 24 hours. The pain gradually settles, but Advil (or your choice of analgesic for moderate pain) is usually sufficient. Should the analgesic fail to take away the pain, consider taking another in combination (check the prescribing information first). If still in pain, call your doctor and stronger analgesics can be prescribed. You should have available the phone number of the pharmacy and your personal health care number.

Antibiotics

If you are prescribed antibiotics following surgery, be sure to take them according to instructions in order 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. Gentle, warm salt water rinses (1/2 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 as usual, but 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 stop exercising. Keep in mind that during recovery you are probably not getting your regular food intake. This may weaken you and further limit your ability to exercise.

Wearing your Prosthesis

Partial dentures, flippers, or full dentures should not be worn immediately after surgery and for at least ten days.

Extractions

  • Take pain medication as soon as you can, even though the local anaesthetic is still effective. Keep taking the prescribed dose at the recommended time intervals for the first day.

  • *It can take 40 minutes for pain medication to work. Pain is worst about 5 hours after dental surgery.

  • After taking pain medication, place a moist tea bag over each wound. Keep in place for 1 hour, then remove it; if you are still bleeding, place another tea bag over the wound. Repeat until the bleeding ceases.

  • *Tannic acids aids in clotting. Caffeine, a stimulant, is released in small amounts. If preferred, use decaffeinated tea.

  • Avoid vigorous exercise (eg. Running, swimming) for 24 hours

  • *exercising increases blood pressure, which might cause bleeding to start again.

  • Soft foods for the first 2 days, e.g. jello, milk shakes, milk, soup, congee, slurpees, ice cream, yogurt.

  • *An intact clot is vital for healing. Eating firm foods too soon can disturb the clot.

  • Do Not rinse your mouth until the day after surgery.

  • *The clot can be dislodged if you rinse on the same day as the surgery. If the blood clot is disturbed, the socket might become infected.

  • Brush the teeth gently with a soft toothbrush, commencing on the evening of the surgery.

  • Keeping the teeth clean is important for healing. A soft toothbrush will avoid damage to the tender surgical site.

  • Avoid smoking if at all possible during the first week.

  • Smoking delays healing by reducing blood supply to the wound. Smoking increases the risk of “dry socket”.

  • After two days, switch to semi-solid foods, e.g. rice, noodles, pasta, scrambled egg, blended or liquidised foods.

  • *Do not chew solid foods too soon after dental surgery. The socket needs a stable blood clot for rapid healing. Solid foods can displace the blood clot.

  • Take the prescribed medications to ensure good wound healing.

  • *The drugs you have been prescribed are recommended to ensure rapid healing.

  • Call the office if you begin to experience pain and bad breath again a few days after the surgery.

  • *Pain and bad breath are signs of an infected socket (dry socket). Treatment is simple and effective, but should be given promptly to avoid suffering. Call us.

Dizziness Prevention

Sometimes, we experience a patient who has fainted at home after dental surgery.

Especially, if you have starved prior to the dental surgery, but even if the procedure has been somewhat stressful, you might feel weak and at times dizzy when you get home. To avoid these symptoms, take a natural source of glucose, ie honey and swallow a tablespoon four times a day for the first few days after the dental surgery. However, if you are a diabetic, make sure you monitor your blood glucose to avoid an excessive blood sugar.