Post-operative Instructions: Implant Placement Day Wise

FIRST DAY
  • On the car ride home, keep the gauze in your mouth that we placed following surgery.
  • When you get home, remove the gauze and eat a small meal and 2-3 glasses of water. Take your first dose of pain medication and antibiotics (if given by your doctor) at this time.
  • Each meal should consist of bland, soft foods that do not require chewing. Your lips and tongue will be numb and can be traumatized by hot foods and vigorous chewing.
  • Following your first meal, place a new damp piece of gauze over the extraction sites only if there is continued bleeding. If there is no bleeding, no gauze is needed.
  • You should be eating 5-6 small meals per day and drinking 2-3 glasses of juice and/or water per hour.
  • Place ice over your cheeks and leave in place for 30 minutes, then remove for 30 minutes, and then replace the ice again. Continue for the entire day.
  • Get plenty of rest. Plan on resting with your head elevated on 2 or 3 pillows.
  • Place Vaseline on your lips if they are dry.
  • Gently brush with warm water(avoid toothpaste) and rinse with warm salt water. Do not spit-allow the rinse to drip out of your mouth and then wipe off your lips.
SECOND DAY
  • You will likely still be swollen and have mild to moderate pain.
  • Start a soft food diet (any food you can cut with a fork). Continue drinking a plenty of fluids.
  • Continue oral hygiene care similar to day 1.
  • Take your medication as prescribed.
  • Avoid vigorous activity that elevates your heart rate.

THIRD & FOURTH DAY

  • You will likely still be swollen and have mild to no pain.
  • Advance your diet as tolerated.
  • You may start brushing with toothpaste, flossing and using over the counter mouth rinse. Continue to avoid vigorous rinsing, sucking or spitting.
  • Start using the Chlorhexidine oral rinse.
FIFTH DAY
  • Swelling may be present but will be significantly decreased. It may take up to 2 weeks for all the swelling to resolve.
  • Return to normal diet and activity as tolerated.
AFTER THE 7TH DAY
  • Return to normal activity.
  • You may feel a small metal protrusion or “cap” over where the implant was placed. This is normal and Dr. Williams will let you know after the surgery whether you will feel the cap or not
If you do not already have a two week follow up visit scheduled, please call the clinic to schedule your next appropriate-time for an appointment
TO STOP EXCESSIVE BLEEDING
  • Apply damp(not soaked) gauze over the extraction site(s) and bite down with firm but gentle pressure for 30 minutes.
  • Check for bleeding.
  • If continued bleeding, replace with a new piece of damp gauze and hold pressure for 30-60 minutes.
  • Check for bleeding.
  • If bleeding continues, place a wet teabag over each extraction site and bite down for 30 minutes.
  • Check for bleeding.
  • Repeat with a new teabag one more time.
  • If excessive bleeding continues, call the doctor for further instructions.
Normal conditions for the first 72 hours after surgery:
  • Swelling of the cheeks.
  • Difficulty opening the mouth.
  • Mild sore throat or slight earache.
  • Tenderness of the teeth near the extraction site.
  • A temperature of up to 101 Degree F
  • Dry lips or cracking of the corners of the mouth.
  • A small bruise or mild pain may develop at the IV site.
  • Mild oozing/bleeding from the extraction sites.
  • A small nosebleed that resolves with pressure.
AVOID the following activities:
  • Sucking, spitting or rinsing vigorously for the first 3 days.
  • Smoking or tobacco use for the first week.
  • If you must use a straw to drink, avoid viscous fluids like a thick milkshake- only gently use a straw with clear, thin liquids.
CALL THE OFFICE if the following symptoms occur:
  • Bleeding that does not stop with pressure or is completely soaking the gauze and filling up the mouth with blood within minutes.
  • Nausea and vomiting that has persisted for more than 24 hours.
  • Severe pain that interrupts sleeping, eating and restful recovery.
  • Extreme, severe swelling that involved the neck and affects breathing.
  • Fever greater than 101 degree F that persists for longer than 72 hours.
  • A rash on the skin that occurs after taking the medication or eating any foods.
  • Numbness to the lower lip, chin, and tongue that persists for longer than 24 hours.

Post Op Instructions After Placement of Dental Implants-Summary

Do not disturb the wound. Avoid rinsing, spitting, or touching the wound on the day of surgery. There may or may not 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 gauze pad placed directly on the bleeding wound for 30 minutes. If bleeding continues, please call for further instructions. Swelling is a normal occurrence after surgery. To minimize swelling, apply an ice bag, or a plastic bag, or towel filled with ice on the cheek in the area of surgery. Apply the ice continuously, as much as possible, for the first 36 hours.
Diet
Drink plenty of fluids. Avoid hot liquids or food. Soft food and liquids should be eaten on the day of surgery. Return to a normal diet as soon as possible unless otherwise directed.
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 3‐4 hrs 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
If prescribed, be sure to take 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.
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