After Dental Implant Surgery

Do not disturb the wound. Avoid rinsing, spitting, or touching the wound on the day of surgery. There likely will 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

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. Swelling often peaks out at 48 hours later, and a red flushness to the face often occurs on the third or fourth day post-operatively.

When BMP has been used, you may notice profound swelling on the fifth day. This may be alarming, but this is very common and usually normal.

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 and typically is much more effective. Ibuprofen, bought over the counter comes in 200 mg tablets: 2-3 tablets may be taken every 3-4 hours as needed for pain. For severe pain, the prescribed narcotic 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. Also, aspirin should not be taken at the same time as ibuprofen or Alieve.

Antibiotics

Be sure to take the prescribed 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 60 seconds then spit it out. Warm salt water rinses (teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) can be used at least 4-5 times a day, as well, especially after meals. Brushing your teeth and the healing abutments is no problem. Be gentle initially with brushing the surgical areas. Always use the softest toothbrush you can buy.

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

Partial dentures, flippers, or full dentures can be be used after surgery, once Dr. Loetscher has adjusted them to fit, without pressure on the wound. It is very important to bring all prosthesis you wear to your consult and surgery appointments, so instruction and/or adjustments can be done for their use.

Post-Operative Depression

In many surgical procedures, intra-venous and post-op steroids (usually decadron) are often administered to help control and minimize depression. These typically give you a boost in energy and mood the first 2 days or so. Unfortunately, they often cause a mild rebound depression on the fourth or fifth day. This may be manifest as feeling slightly lethargic, having a poor pain tolerance, and sometimes grumpiness. By day six or seven, this is usually resolved completely.