Post-Op Instructions

It is most important that you take the best possible care of the tissue while healing. The cleaner the mouth is, the better the healing process.

If you have a surgical dressing covering the tissue, let it harden for three to four hours before drinking anything warm or hot

The initial healing period usually takes one to two weeks, and you'll likely experience some swelling for the first forty-eight hours.

Before the procedure began, you were given an anesthetic to ensure your comfort. This anesthetic typically leaves your lips, teeth and tongue feeling numb after the appointment. For this reason, you should avoid chewing for two hours following surgery, or until the numbness has completely worn off.

To avoid nausea, do not take pain medication on an empty stomach.
You can also decrease pain and swelling by applying an ice pack - twenty minutes on, twenty minutes off - for the first six hours following the extraction.

A blood clot will form on the extraction site, and this clot is vital to the healing process. To keep the clot intact, avoid touching the extraction site with your tongue or fingers, do not drink liquids through a straw, and do not spit vigorously.

Blowing your nose or sneezing violently can also dislodge the blood clot and impair healing, so if you have an upper respiratory infection or suffer from allergies, be sure to have the appropriate sinus medication on hand.

Do not rinse your mouth the day of the surgery. Smoking, or allowing food particles to pack into the tooth's socket, should be avoided, as both will significantly affect the healing process.

Twenty-four hours following the procedure, you can rinse gently with mouthwash or a warm saltwater solution. (Dissolve one teaspoon of salt with one cup of warm water. Gently swish the solution around the affected area, and spit carefully.) You should do this two to three times each day for the week following the extraction.

If antibiotics were prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time, even if all symptoms and signs of infection are gone.
Relax as much as possible and avoid all strenuous activities for the first twenty-four hours following surgery.

Once the numbness has worn off, you should eat, as nourishment is important to the healing process. Limit your diet to soft foods like yogurt, soft soups, ice cream, or soft-cooked eggs for the first forty-eight hours, and drink at least eight large glasses of water or fruit juice each day.

Keep your head elevated with pillows to control bleeding. We will give you a supply of gauze sponges to place over the bleeding area.

Change the pad as necessary, and use them until the bleeding stops completely. You can also bite gently but firmly on a moist tea bag for twenty minutes. Be sure to call our office if bleeding persists or increases.

The space left by the tooth will feel a bit strange to you at first. Eventually, new bone and gum tissue will grow into the gap left by the extraction.

1. Expect a small amount of swelling; this is normal.
2. Use moist ice packs on the face (20 minutes on, 20 minutes off ) the day of surgery to help minimize the swelling.
3. If swelling begins after the first 24 hours, increase the frequency of your rinsing with warm salt water.

1. Expect a small amount of bleeding for a day or two following surgery.
2. Call your doctor if the bleeding persists after one day or becomes heavy.
3. You may notice a small amount of blood on your pillow the morning after the surgery.
4. There may be some discoloration around the lips, cheeks, or eyes. This will disappear in a few days.

1. Following all types of surgery, a certain amount of pain can be expected. Tylenol may be taken every 4 to 5 hours if needed, or take the medication prescribed by your doctor. This should be taken as directed for pain.
2. ANTIBIOTICS
• If your doctor has prescribed antibiotics, it is very important that you take them as directed
• Once you have begun taking your prescription, you must finish all of the medication even after you feel better, or it may not be effective.
• If symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, itching, rashes, dizziness, blurred vision, or shortness of breath occur, call your doctor at once.

1. DO NOT eat or drink anything warm for 3 to 4 hours after surgery, nor drink any hot liquids that day.
2. You may eat or drink whatever you desire, but try to select soft, nourishing foods.
3. Avoid hard chewing or spicy foods.
4. A good diet is essential to healing, so be sure to eat well balanced meals during the treatment.
5. Food supplements such as Sego, Nutriment, Ensure or Carnation Instant Breakfast are highly recommended if “regular” foods are difficult.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR DIFFICULTIES CALL YOUR DOCTOR.

Remember that it will take time to adjust to the feel of your new bite. When the bite is altered, or the position of the teeth is changed, it takes several days for the brain to recognize the new position of your teeth or their thickness as normal.

If you continue to detect any abnormalities or problems with your bite, call our office so we can schedule an adjustment appointment.

It is normal to experience some hot and cold sensitivity. The teeth require some time to heal after removal of tooth structure and may be sensitive in the interim. Your gums may also be sore for several days. Warm water rinses three or four times a day will reduce pain and swelling. A mild pain medication ( two tablets of Tylenol or Ibuprofen (Motrin) every 3-4 hours ) should ease any residual discomfort.

Don’t be concerned if your speech is affected for the first few days. You’ll quickly adapt, and you will soon be speaking normally. You may notice increased salivation. This is because your brain is responding to the new size and shape of your teeth. This should subside to normal in about a week.
Twice daily brushing and once daily flossing are a must for your new dental work. Daily plaque (bacteria) removal is critical for the long-term success of your new teeth as are regular oral hygiene appointments.

Any food that can crack, chip, or damage a natural tooth can do the same to your new teeth. Avoid hard foods, substances (such as nuts, peanut brittle, ice, fingernails, or pencils), and sticky candies. Smoking will stain your new teeth. Minimize or avoid foods that stain such as coffee, red wine, tea, and berries.
If you engage in sports, let us know, so we can make a custom mouthguard. If you grind your teeth at night, wear the night guard if one was provided for you. Adjusting to the look and feel of your new smile will take time. If you have any difficulties or concerns, please let us know. We always welcome your questions.

Crowns and bridges usually take two to four appointments to complete. In the first visit the teeth are prepared, and molds of the mouth are taken. Temporary crowns or bridges are placed to protect the teeth while your custom restoration is being made. Since the teeth will be anesthetized, the tongue, lips, and roof of the mouth may be numb. Please refrain from eating and drinking hot beverages until the numbness is completely worn off.

Occasionally, a temporary restoration may come off. Call us if this happens place it carefully back on your teeth and see if it will re-adhere itself. If not, bring the temporary with you so we can re-cement it. It is very important for the temporary to stay in place, as it will prevent other teeth from moving and compromising the fit of your final restoration.

To keep your temporaries in place, avoid eating sticky foods (gum), hard foods, and if possible, chew on the opposite side of your mouth. It is important to brush normally, but floss carefully and don’t pull the floss back through the contact space which may dislodge the temporary, but pull the floss out to the side of the temporary restoration.

It is normal to experience some temperature and pressure sensitivity after each appointment. The sensitivity should subside a few weeks after the placement of the final restoration. Mild pain medications may also be used as directed by our office.

If your bite feels uneven, if you have persistent pain, or if you have any other questions or concerns, please call our office at (860) 645-0111.

When an anesthetic has been used, your lips and tongue may be numb for several hours after the appointment. Avoid any chewing and hot beverages until the numbness has completely worn off. It is very easy to bite or burn your tongue or lip while you are numb.

It is normal to experience some hot, cold, and pressure sensitivity after your appointment. Injection sites may also be sore. Ibuprofen (Motrin), Tylenol or aspirin (two tablets every 3-4 hours as needed for pain) work well to alleviate the tenderness. If pressure sensitivity persists beyond a few days, or if the sensitivity to hot or cold increases, contact our office.

Dental Implants - Post Op

A part of making the dental implants surgery successful is to follow your doctor’s orders during the post-operative care.  After your dental implants have been inserted you will be given antibiotics. 

Following surgery, you will be asked to bite firmly but gently on a gauze pad to stop the bleeding.  Your doctor will give you a package of gauze to take home with you and place over the surgical site.   You’ll have to make sure to change the pads and use them until the bleeding stops completely.   Sometimes biting on a moist tea bag will be prescribed as well.  You’ll need to phone your doctor if bleeding persists or increases.  

If you have some discomfort after the surgery you will be given a painkiller.  You can also decrease discomfort and swelling by applying an ice pack for about twenty minutes for the first six hours following surgery. You can continue applying an ice pack for as long as two days following surgery. After two days, apply moist heat to the area such as tea bag.

In order to minimize swelling and bleeding you may want to keep your head elevated for the first twenty-four to forty-eight hours after the surgery.  You have to make sure you relax as much as possible and avoid all strenuous activities for as long as three days following the dental implants surgery. 

You’ll have to drink at least eight glasses of water or fruit juice every day and try to limit your diet to soft foods such as yogurt or soup during the first week of surgery. 

You will be asked to rinse your mouth with warm salt water solution – one teaspoon of salt in one cup of water – about three to four times a day to further disinfect the area.  You have to make sure you spit carefully to avoid any complications.

Once your jaw bone grows around the titanium posts, you may experience  a little discomfort around the area that  can last for several weeks. An over-the-counter pain reliever, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, should make the pain go away. 

If you’re having any problems or questions make sure you call your doctor’s office right away.  If you follow all the post-operative instructions you shouldn’t have any complications but it’s always better to be safe then sorry.

Any time you have a question regarding your progress, please call the office number, 860-645-0111. We are always available to answer your concerns.

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