Surgical Instructions

After Placement of Dental Implants

Do not disturb the wound. Avoid rinsing, spitting, or touching the wound on the day of surgery. There may be a colored metal screw head visible through the gingival (gum) tissue. You may or may not have sutures in place.

Bleeding

After implant placement there is usually no bleeding. If there is any bleeding, place bandages over the surgical site for 30 minutes.

Swelling

There will little to no swelling after implant surgery. If swelling does occur, you can ice the area for 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off for 72 hours.

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. Try to avoid constant biting on the surgical side. If you can, eat on the opposite side of the implant.

Pain

There will be little to no pain after this procedure. If you do have some discomfort, it is usually only during the first 1 to 2 days and requires little to no pain management. It is not uncommon for dental implant patients to not need any pain medication following implant placement.

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 30 seconds then spit it out. Warm salt water rinses (1/2 teaspoon of salt in an 8 oz. glass of warm water) should 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.

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. Most implant patients are able to resume normal activites quickly after surgery depending on the amount and location of the implants placed.

Wearing your Prosthesis

Patients that have flippers or partials can start wearing them when you feel comfortable. If you feel that the appliance is hitting on the implant surgical site, make sure that you call our office or your dentist to relieve your appliance.

After General Anesthesia

Patients who received general anesthesia should return home from our office immediately upon discharge and lie down with the head elevated until all the effects of the anesthesia have disappeared. Anesthesia effects vary by individual, and you may feel drowsy for a short period of time or for several hours. You should not operate any mechanical equipment or drive a motor vehicle for at least 24 hours or longer if you feel any residual effects from the anesthesia. Do not use appliances or equipment that could be dangerous such as power tools, stoves, burners or lawn mowers. Watch out for dizziness. Walk slowly and take your time. Sudden changes of position can also cause nausea or dizziness. Do not drink any alcoholic beverages. The drugs in your body may cause your reaction to alcohol to be dangerous.