Surgical Instructions

After the Removal of Multiple Teeth

A small amount of bleeding is to be expected following the operation. If bleeding occurs, place a gauze pad directly over the bleeding socket and apply biting pressure for 1 hour. If bleeding continues, a moist tea bag can be used for 30 minutes. If bleeding occurs, avoid hot liquids, exercise, and elevate the head. If bleeding persists, call our office immediately. Do not remove immediate denture unless the bleeding is severe. Expect some oozing around the side of the denture.

Use ice packs (externally) on the same side of the face as the operated area. Apply ice for the first 48 hours . Apply ice 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off while you are awake.

Take prescribed medicine as directed. Be sure to complete the antibiotic.

Drink plenty of fluids. If many teeth have been extracted, you will have a tendency to drink less. This may lead to dehydration and fever. Drink at least six glasses of liquid the first day. Gatorade or a similar beverage is an excellent choice. You should be urinating frequently with relatively clear urine if your liquid intake is adequate.

Patients who received general anesthesia should return home from our office immediately upon discharge and lie down with the head elevated until all effects of the anesthesia have disappeared. Anesthetics 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 tleast 24 hours or longer if you feel any residual effects from the anesthesia. Do not operate any 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 in 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.

Do not rinse your mouth for the first post-operative day, or while there is bleeding. After the first day, use a warm salt water rinse every 4 hours and following meals to flush out particles of food and debris that may lodge in the operated area. (1/2 teaspoon of salt in an 8 oz. glass of lukewarm water), and before going to bed. After you have seen your dentist for denture adjustment, take out denture and rinse 3 to 4 times a day.

Initially restrict your diet to soft foods and liquids which are comfortable for you to eat. As the wounds heal, you will be able to advance your diet.

You may have dissolvable sutures, which may take 3-4 weeks to dissolve. Try not to pick or prod at them as you might irritate the surgical site. If you do not have dissolvable sutures, you will be given a follow up appointment to cme back and we will remove the sutures for you at that time.

When having a tooth or multiple teeth extracted you may see and/or feel septal bone. Septal bone is either between teeth or in between roots of teeth. This bone is completely normal and is NOT a remaining piece of tooth. As this area heals, your body will fill in and smooth out the extraction(s) site(s) with new bone and tissue will eventually cover this area.

The removal of many teeth at one time is quite different than the extraction of one or two teeth. It is not unusal for your body to "kick out" small spicules of bone during the first few months of healing. The body is trying to reshape the bone and this is part of the process. It is sometimes quite uncomfortable when the piece is coming through the surface of the tissue. Work your way through the process using the mild discomfort pain regime described previously. If the bone irregularities persist after several months, you may need a second procedure to trim the bone (see the pre-prosthetic surgery section). The following conditions may occur during the immediate post operative period; all of which are considered normal:

The area operated on will swell reaching a maximum in two -three days. Swelling and discoloration around the eye may occur. Again, this is normal. If you have surgery around your knee, your knee can swell....if you have surgery around your eye, your eye can swell.(remember ice packs should be used for the first 48 hours).
A sore throat may develop. The muscles of the throat are near the extraction sites. Swelling into the throat muscles can cause pain. This is normal and should subside in 2-3 days.
If the corners of the mouth are stretched, they may dry out and crack. Your lips should be kept moist with an ointment like Vaseline. There may be a slight elevation of temperature for 24-48 hours. If temperature continues, notify our office.

If immediate dentures have been inserted, sore spots may develop. In most cases, your dentist or denturist will see you within 24-48 hours after surgery and make the necessary adjustments to relieve those sore spots. Failure to do so may result in severe denture sores, which may prolong the healing process.