Care for Your Mouth After Implant Placement and Oral Surgery

FOR THE NEXT 72 HOURS

NO DRINKING THROUGH A STRAW
NO SMOKING
NO CARBONATED BEVERAGES
NO ACIDIC BEVERAGES (APPLE JUICE, ORANGE JUICE, ETC.)
NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
MINIMIZE SPITTING
TRY TO SLEEP IN A MORE UPRIGHT POSITION

*These activities create a suction and may cause dislodging of the blood clots, resulting in pain and prolonged healing*

DO NOT RINSE YOUR MOUTH TODAY. STARTING DAY 3 AFTER YOUR SURGERY, BATHE YOUR MOUTH GENTLY EVERY 3-4 HOURS (ESPECIALLY AFTER MEALS) USING EITHER YOUR PRESCRIPTION PERIDEX MOUTH RINSE OR ONE-QUARTER TEASPOON OF SALT TO A GLASS OF WARM WATER. CONTINUE RINSES FOR 2 WEEKS.

SLEEPING. TONIGHT, IT IS RECOMMENDED YOU SLEEP IN AN ELEVATED POSITION TO HELP CONTROL BLEEDING.

BLEEDING. FOLLOWING EXTRACTIONS, SOME BLEEDING IS TO BE EXPECTED. IF PERSISTENT ACTIVE BLEEDING OCCURS, PLACE FOLDED MOIST GAUZE PADS OVER AREA AND BITE DOWN FIRMLY FOR 20-30 MINUTES. REPEAT IF NECESSARY. (TIP: BITING ON A MOISTENED TEABAG CAN ALSO BE EFFECTIVE.)

SWELLING. AN ICE PACK OR CHOPPED ICE WRAPPED IN A TOWEL SHOULD BE APPLIED TO EXTERNAL SURGICAL AREA — HALF HOUR ON AND HALF HOUR OFF. TRY TO KEEP THIS UP AS MUCH AS YOU CAN FOR THE FIRST 2-3 DAYS,

PAIN. WE RECOMMEND USING THE 3 X 3 X 3 RULE - 3 IBUPROFEN 3 TIMES A DAY FOR 3 DAYS. YOUR DOCTOR WILL PRESCRIBE A PRESCRIPTION TO ASSIST WITH ANY PAIN, THESE CAN BE TAKEN TOGETHER.

FOOD. A SOFT DIET IS ADVISABLE FOR THE FIRST 24 HOURS. A SOFT FOOD LIST WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED TO GIVE IDEAS FOR THE NEXT 3-7 DAYS UNTIL YOU START TO FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE.

BONY EDGES. SMALL SHARP BONE FRAGMENTS MAY WORK UP THROUGH THE GUM TISSUE DURING HEALING, THIS IS NORMAL. YOUR DOCTOR WILL BONE GRAFT MORE THAN WHAT IS NEEDED IN CASE OF THIS. IF THEY BECOME ANNOYING, CALL THE OFFICE FOR THEIR SIMPLE REMOVAL.

IF ANY UNUSUAL SYMPTOMS OCCUR, CALL THE OFFICE AT ONCE.

PROPER CARE FOLLOWING ORAL SURGICAL PROCEDURES WILL HASTEN YOUR RECOVERY AND PREVENT COMPLICATIONS.

HEALING

Wound healing is variable for each individual person. The mouth usually heals at a faster rate than the rest of the body. Initial healing will often result in the wound edges looking red or inflamed and may have some swelling. These are normal and should not be of concern. We expect the soft tissue to be normal (or almost normal) in appearance after 2-3 weeks post-op.

NUTRITION Adequate nutrition is essential for normal healing. The first 24 hours following surgery your diet should be restricted to cold liquids and extremely soft foods that are easily chewed and swallowed. Chew your foods using teeth far removed from the graft sites so that the grafts are not disturbed. Do not skip meals. If you take in nourishment regularly, you feel better, gain strength, have less discomfort, and heal faster.

REST Plan to rest the remainder of the day of surgery and the following 2 days after. After that time, you should be able to return to your regular schedule, EXCEPT such activities as jogging, aerobic exercise, and other strenuous activities. These should be discontinued for the week following surgery. Use good judgement when returning to strenuous activities. If you feel the sensation of pressure or pulsation at the surgery site, it is often a sign you are overexerting yourself. If you notice these symptoms, discontinue activity in question until 1- week post-op.