Post-op Instructions

Following placement of implants please follow these instructions to make yourself more comfortable, promote healing and help prevent any possible complications.

• Sedation

If you were given sedation for your surgery, the effects of sedation may be with you for several hours. Please do not drive or operate machinery. The drugs used for sedation produce amnesia and help reduce the memory of your surgery. Close

• Bleeding

You probably will leave the office with wet gauze covering the surgical site. Apply pressure on it for 30 minutes. Wash hands and remove gauze in 30 minutes. A little bleeding is normal. If bleeding continues, use the provided extra gauze and apply pressure for another 20 minutes. Repeat if necessary, if bleeding is persistent, place a moistened tea bag to the area and apply pressure for 20 minutes. Exercise should be avoided for the first 24 hours following surgery. Exercise can cause increased bleeding. Start back slowly based on how you feel. Close

• Diet

A nutritionally balanced soft food diet with plenty of fluids is important during the first 24 hours. Eat soups and soft foods, which are easily chewed and swallowed. During the first 24 hours avoid using straws, rinsing vigorously, smoking and alcohol. Any of these actions could disturb or dislodge the protective blood clot from the surgical site and delay healing. Close

• Rinsing

24 hours following surgery gently rinse your mouth with lukewarm salt water 3-4 times a day. Following surgery ice bags may be used to aid in pain control and to help minimize swelling and bruising. Close

• Nasuea

If nausea occurs take one ounce of a carbonated drink every hour for 5- 6 hours, along with some crackers. Close

• Bone fragments

Small bone fragments often separate from the surgical site during healing. If you feel a fragment or spicule in the surgical area it will probably work its way out. If it is sharp or painful, call for an appointment. Generally these fragments are easily removed without discomfort. Close

• Medications

Please take the prescribed medications as directed unless an allergic reaction develops. If an allergic reaction develops please call the office as soon as possible. Close

• Special Precautions

Implants must be left undisturbed in the bone during healing. Avoid chewing directly on the implant during the initial healing period. Avoid disturbing the implants with your tongue or fingers. If numbness persists beyond 12 hours, please contact our office. If you have had an upper implant placed or sinus graft performed, avoid blowing your nose for 8 days. Do not sneeze with your mouth closed, but try to keep the mouth open as you control the sneeze. If you had a sinus augmentation or any other type of bone grafts you may have been prescribed an antihistamine to take before and several weeks following surgery. If you have signs of elevated temperature or excessive swelling, please contact your office. Close

If you were sedated the effects of sedation will be with you for several hours. Please do not drive or operate machinery. Make sure you bring a family member or friend to help you. Before you leave make an appointment in a week for a post operative check.

You will leave the office with a wet gauze on the area. Apply pressure for 30 minutes to control bleeding. Remove the gauze in 30 minutes and replace with a fresh gauze that is provided by our office. A little bleeding is normal. If the bleeding does not stop apply pressure with a moistened tea bag for 30 minutes. There may be some cracks and bruising at the corners of your mouth and you can experience some stiffness and restricted opening that may last for several days.

You may keep an ice bag on the site outside your mouth to control any swelling.
For the first 24 hours

• Do not rinse vigorously – it will cause loss of clot
• Do not use a straw to drink – it will cause loss of clot
• Do not smoke or use alcohol – it will slow healing
• Do not exercise or do anything strenuous– it will increase bleeding
• Do not touch the surgical site with your tongue or finger
• Take the prescribed medications as directed unless you have an allergic reaction. If you are allergic to the medication please call our office
• Restrict your diet to soft, cold and liquid foods

It is normal to see your pillow stained with blood the next morning. After the first 24 hours gently rinse your mouth with lukewarm salt water 3-4 times a day. Give yourself enough time to recover. Eat a nutritionally balanced diet.

If the tooth was positioned too close to the nerve in the bone you may experience some tingling sensation or numbness in your lip which may last for several days or even months. Rarely, it may be permanent.

Sometimes especially with lower wisdom tooth extractions the clot may be lost causing a Dry Socket. Due to loss of the clot the bone is exposed, exposing the nerve ending causing excruciating pain. It is very important to follow the post- operative directions in order to prevent a dry socket. In such as call our office and make an appointment to be seen. Your surgeon will place a medicated dressing in the exposed socket which will help control the pain.

When you return in a week for a post-operative check, your surgeon will check to make sure there is adequate healing.

Procedure
A Sinus Lift procedure is done when there is insufficient space in the posterior maxilla to place implants.

This may be done in conjunction with sinus grafting or by itself, depending on the available bone height. When there is less than 10mm of available bone height a sinus grafting procedure is planned.

The grafted bone is usually irradiated freeze dried bone obtained from tissue banks that may be combined with synthetic bone or your own bone. So you may have a second surgical site if your own bone is harvested.

Please follow the below mentioned post-op instructions to help prevent complications and aid in healing.

• Sedation

If you were given sedation for your surgery, the effects of sedation may be with you for several hours. Please do not drive or operate machinery. The drugs used for sedation produce amnesia and help reduce the memory of your surgery.

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• Bleeding

You probably will leave the office with wet gauze covering the surgical site. Apply pressure on it for 30 minutes. Wash hands and remove gauze in 30 minutes. A little bleeding is normal. If bleeding continues, use the provided extra gauze and apply pressure for another 20 minutes. Repeat if necessary, if bleeding is persistent, place a moistened tea bag to the area and apply pressure for 20 minutes . Following surgery ice bags may be used to aid in pain control and to help minimize swelling and bruising.

Exercise should be avoided for the first 24 hours following surgery. Exercise can cause increased bleeding. Start back slowly based on how you feel.

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• Oral Hygiene

Do not rinse or spit on the day of your surgery. This tends to disturb the blood clot, open the wound, can prolong bleeding and slow healing. Saliva can be swallowed, even if slightly blood tinged.

Keeping your mouth clean after surgery is essential to reduce the risk of infection. 24 hours following surgery gently rinse your mouth with lukewarm salt water 3-4 times a day.

Do not brush the teeth in the area of surgery for 48 hours. When brushing, be very gentle.

An antibiotic rinse (such as Chlorhexadine, Periogard, Peridex) may be prescribed. This rinse should be used in the morning and at bedtime after routine mouth care. Do not eat, drink or rinse your mouth after using the medicated rinse. Using this rinse more than two times a day will cause staining of your teeth.

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• Blowing your nose or sneezing

DO NOT BLOW YOUR NOSE OR SNEEZE WITH YOUR MOUTH CLOSED FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS.

Anything that increases the pressure in the sinus cavity must be avoided. Do not drink with straws. Scuba diving and flying in pressurized aircraft, blowing up balloons, playing musical instruments that require a blowing action should be avoided. Decongestants such as Drixoral, Dimetapp, or Sudafed will help reduce pressure in the sinuses. You may have a nose bleed. Do not be alarmed. Call our office if there is excessive bleeding.

Smoking
Do not smoke for at least two weeks after surgery. Smoking dramatically increases the risk of bone graft and sinus augmentation failure.

Bone Fragments
Small bone fragments often separate from the surgical site during healing. If you feel a fragment or spicule in the surgical area it will probably work its way out. If it is sharp or painful, call for an appointment. Generally these fragments are easily removed without discomfort.

Medications
Antibiotics, pain medication and decongestants may be prescribed.

Please take the prescribed medications as directed unless an allergic reaction develops. If an allergic reaction develops please call the office as soon as possible.

Wearing your Prosthesis or Nightguards
Partial dentures, flippers, or full dentures should not be used immediately after surgery unless specifically instructed otherwise. Flipper may be used only for cosmetic purposes. When used it should not touch the gums in the area of the surgery. If it does, this can cause ulceration of the wound edges and breakdown of the suture margins. This can lead to loss of the graft. The flipper or denture will be adjusted by your general dentist during the post- operative visit.

Your Comfort is Our Priority. Please do not hesitate to call our office .Our staff will be happy to assist you!

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