Post-Op Donor Site (Ramus)

Your lower jaw was used to harvest the bone for your implant site.  The block of bone graft from your self is called “autogenous” and is one of the most successful bone graft techniques to provide ideal implant postioning and esthetics.  It is considered the “gold standard” in site development.  However the price  you pay for this is some swelling and discomfort for 5-7 days, and in some cases some temporary numbness.

Sutures

The sutures are chromic gut sutures and dissolve in 10-14 days.

Diet

Avoid abrasive foods, such as crusty breads, bagels, sharp chips, etc. in this area for about 8 days. These can break down the incision lines.

Swelling

This area typically is more swollen and painful than the host site. Applying ice via the supplied ice back (Jaw Bra) to area for 3-5 days is often helpful.

Bleeding

Their may be some oozing of blood from the site for 3-5 days, often after eating you may traumatize it slightly, and a few drops can leak out, looking like much more than it is.

Numbness

About 1 in 4 people have some temporary numbness on that side of their mouth, extending to the lower lip.  The sensory nerve that provides feeling to that side of your jawbone and lower lip often runs just inside the bone from where the block of bone was removing.  Exposing the outer sheath of this nerve, and the water irrigation as part of your surgery will often cause some numbness (paresthesia) of the distribution of this area.  Fortunately, the motor nerve – that which moves your muscles and lips – is a completely different nerve is never affected.  So if you do develop some numbness, you will smile and appear normal, but cant always feel your lip.  Some feeling typically starts returning in the first week or two, but usually takes a couple of months to completely return, less often it can take up to 6 months or so to return completely.  As the feeling is returning, you may get some tingling of your lip, itches you cant itch, etc.  This is all normal and a good sign that the sensation is returning.

Exercise

For 4 days, you should avoid exercising where your blood pressure becomes elevated, or your heart rate above 120, as this could cause some excessive bleeding, and possible formation of a hematoma.  A hemotoma is a collection or “lump” of blood.  These can cause bleeding or even become infected.

Fracture

Fortunately fractures of your lower jaw after a piece of bone has been removed are very uncommon, but they do occur.  For this reason it is advisable not to eat very had foods that require heavy bite forces for about 6 weeks.  Hearing a “snap” while eating could be a fracture, and if so always call us.