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Surgical Instructions
After Dental Implant Surgery
The discomfort and swelling that may follow your surgery are due to a combination of factors, including the difficulty or duration of surgery and individual patient responses. However, careful surgical technique, appropriate medications, and your compliance with these instructions will enhance your rapid and uneventful recovery from surgery. Surgical skills and medications can only serve to optimize the environment in which healing must occur. The supply of fuel for healing (nutrition) and maintenance of the area (oral hygiene) are up to the patient. Please do not underestimate the importance of your role in a rapid recovery!
DISCOMFORT: This is usually quite minor following placement of dental implants. In most cases a NSAID (like prescription Flurbiprofen or OTC Ibuprofen or Advil) or even Tylenol (if your doctor has advised you to avoid NSAIDs) will relieve your discomfort. It can be helpful (but not required) to start taking the NSAID (or Tylenol) several hours before your surgery if this is possible. Then continue to take the NSAID or Tylenol on a schedule for 5 days after the procedure. This is your BASELINE pain-preventive medication. In some cases, you may also receive a prescription for a narcotic analgesic (like Darvocet or Lorcet); if so, then use this only if pain persists in spite of your taking the BASELINE medication. If your BASELINE medication is Tylenol, then you should stop taking this while you are using the Prescription narcotic medication (as it contains some Tylenol). If your BASELINE is an NSAID medicine, then continue taking and use the narcotic prescription in addition for break-through discomfort.
SWELLING & BRUISING: Minimal or absent; if it occurs it will peak at 48 hours, rapidly resolve, and will be negligible by the 5th day. Mild discoloration (bruising) of the facial skin may occur but is uncommon in patients under 50 years old unless a tendency to easy bruising already exists. If it occurs it is of no concern & will clear in 3 to 5 days.
BLEEDING: Bleeding is usually minimal if present at all. There may be some mild oozing for the first 24 hours. If it seems persistent and is bothersome, please call the office. Fever can occur within 48 to 72 hours, and usually is associated with a decrease in fluid intake, vomiting, or dehydration (these problems are rare). An oral temperature under 101 degrees usually responds to good fluid intake and TYLENOL every four hours.
EATING & NUTRITION: If you were asleep during surgery, begin with clear liquids like 7-UP to avoid nausea. Then rapidly advance to milkshakes, soups, and then solid food as tolerated. Be careful not to chew until the numbness has worn off. Let the severity of your discomfort guide you in the selection & placement of food. Take smaller bites & keep the food in an area remote from the wound(s) if possible. After 3 or 4 days you should be able to chew a soft or even regular consistency diet, depending on your level of discomfort. A normal (or supernormal) intake of calories and nutrients is important, as your body now has a higher than usual metabolic requirement in order to heal your wounds. High protein/high calorie nutritional supplementation is encouraged for the first week to encourage rapid & uneventful healing.
RESTRICTIONS: Get plenty of rest & go to bed early! Do not participate in any activity that will significantly raise your heart rate or blood pressure for 24 hours after your surgery. Avoid contact sports for a week. Depending on your occupation, you may return to work within 24 hours or even the same day. If your implant was placed immediately following removal of the tooth and a crown was placed on the implant, DO NOT chew on this tooth! This tooth is “for show” only and will not be ready to withstand chewing forces for several months.
ORAL HYGIENE & WOUND CARE: Beginning the evening following your surgery, gently rinse your mouth with a 50%/50% mixture of warm salt water (1/2 teaspoon per 6 oz. glass) & hydrogen peroxide at least four times a day, ideally after eating and before going to bed. Resume brushing your teeth on the evening after your surgery, but do not brush against the gums next to your implant(s) for 7 days. If you have an immediate mplant, DO NOT floss on either side of the implant crown until cleared by our office to do so. DO NOT SMOKE for at least five days after surgery. Stitches (sutures) are auto-digestible and will dissolve within 1 to 2 weeks.