Dental Implants Post-Operative Instructions
Proper care after surgery has an important effect on healing. Please read the following instructions carefully.
Immediately Following Surgery
- Bite firmly on the gauze pad covering the surgical site to help stop the bleeding. We will change the gauze before you leave the office. You may need to change the gauze pads once more at home, leaving it in for an additional 30 minutes.
- You may have difficulty feeling your lips, cheeks or tongue due to numbness. This is a temporary feeling and will wear off within 2-4hrs. Please take care not to bite your lips, cheeks or gums.
- Apply ice packs to your face to reduce swelling for the first 48 hours after surgery.
- Take pain the medication as prescribed as soon as possible.
- Do not rinse or spit the day of surgery, as this may prolong the bleeding.
Special Considerations
- Do not disturb or touch the wound.
- Do not apply pressure with your tongue or fingers to the grafted area, as the material is moveable during the initial healing phase.
- If a corner of the membrane does become exposed, please do not touch or pick at it. Generally, the exposed portion will fall off on its own.
- Avoid chewing or creating pressure on the graft site.
Bleeding:
One of the most common concerns after surgery is bleeding. Surgery causes an increase in salivary flow which in addition to the normal oozing of blood may alarm you unnecessarily. Some oozing is normal for 24 to 48 hours following surgery and should not be a concern. It is common for saliva to be slightly blood tinged for several days following surgery.
- Use a piece of gauze (or a moist teabag), folded into a small wad, and place it over the surgical site. The idea is to apply gentle pressure on the surgical site. Apply pressure for at least 20-30 minutes after surgery. The gauze can be changed when it feels saturated. One may need to change the gauze and repeat the previous steps a few times to decrease bleeding. If bleeding is controlled, the gauze is no longer necessary.
- DO NOT rinse your mouth or use a straw for the next 24 hours.
- DO NOT smoke or consume alcohol for the next 24 hours.
- DO NOT perform strenuous activities for the next 3 days.
If you are bleeding excessively, apply firm pressure by folding and placing a gauze pad directly over the surigcal site and bite firmly on the gauze for one hour. Excessive bleeding is defined as pooling or dripping of blood out of the surigcal sites within 15-20 seconds of removing the gauze. If excess bleeding continues, apply a gauze pad for an additi