Surgical Instructions

It is normal to experience some bleeding or redness in your saliva for 24 hours after the dental implant procedures. If you are experiencing excessive bleeding, it can be controlled by biting down on a gauze pad placed directly on the bleeding wound for 30 minutes.

It is uncommon to experience significant bleeding with dental implants, so if your bleeding continues and is not controlled by biting firmly on gauze, please call us at 940-386-3000 for further instructions.

Your doctor will let you know when it is okay to advance to a soft food diet (noodles, eggs, tuna/flaky fish, non-chunky soups). Additionally, you should continue to refrain from chewing in the area of your dental implant(s) for 2 ½ to 3 months.

If you are experiencing minor pain, one or two tablets of Tylenol or Extra Strength Tylenol may be taken every 3-4 hours. For more moderate pain, one or two 200 mg Motrin or Advil tablets (ibuprofen) may be taken every 3-4 hours.

For severe pain, take the prescribed tablets as directed. Your prescription pain medication will slow down your reflexes and make you groggy. Please do not operate machinery or drive a car while taking the prescription pain medication. In between doses of the pain medication, you may take ibuprofen, which can help reduce inflammation and aid in pain relief. Do not take any additional Tylenol when using the prescribed pain medication because it contains Acetaminophen.

Your pain or discomfort following surgery should subside more and more each day, and you may find you can manage your pain with just over-the-counter meds. However, if your pain persists, it may require additional attention and you should contact our office

• For 30 minutes after leaving our office, the gauze pad over the surgical area should be kept in place.
• After this time, the gauze pad should be removed and discarded.
• Following surgery, touching the wound area and/or mouth rinsing should be avoided. This may initiate bleeding by causing the blood clot that has formed to become dislodged.
• As soon as you have something creamy (such as yogurt or a milkshake) in your stomach, take the prescribed pain medications. This is will usually coincide with the local anesthetic diminishing, but do not wait until you feel pain.
• The day of your surgery, restrict your activities. You can resume normal activities when you feel comfortable.
• To help reduce swelling, place ice packs to the sides of your face where surgery was performed. For a more thorough explanation, please refer to the section on swelling.

The removal of many teeth at one time is quite different from the extraction of one or two. Post-operative care following surgery to remove permanent dentition will be critical for you to avoid unnecessary pain, and complications such as infection and swelling can occur if these instructions are followed carefully by an attentive dentist with experience performing this type of procedure. Because bone shaping must precede any Insertion into a Denture (a common part needed post-op), certain normal conditions may arise, including:

• Swelling and discoloration may occur around the eye or the area that was operated on for a maximum of 2-3 days.
• You may develop a sore throat which should subside in 2-3 days.
• Sore spots may develop if immediate dentures have been inserted.
• Your dentist will meet with you within 24-48 hours following the procedure to check in on your recovery progress.

For 24 hours following surgery, a certain amount of bleeding is to be expected. Slight bleeding, oozing or redness in the saliva is common. Avoid swallowing or spitting blood. You can control bleeding by placing direct, firm pressure with a folded gauze pad(s) over the extraction area and biting firmly for 30 minutes. Repeat as necessary — you may need to purchase additional gauze.

If bleeding continues, bite on a moistened tea bag for 30 minutes. The tannic acid in the tea helps to form a clot by contracting bleeding vessels. Keeping your head elevated, avoiding excitement, and avoiding activity, exercise, and excitement will help minimize further bleeding. If bleeding does not subside, please call our office at 940-386-3000 for further instructions.

Sutures may begin to break down between day 1 and day 10 following your extraction, but in most cases the sutures start to dissolve around day 4. If you can remove the suture without pulling, just remove the suture from your mouth and discard it.

Swelling can be minimized by using ice packs immediately. Baggies filled with ice or ice packs should be applied to the sides of the face where the extraction was performed. These ice packs should be left on continuously while you are awake. After 24 hours, discontinue your use of ice — it has no beneficial effect after this and may delay your healing process.

If swelling or jaw stiffness continues for several days, this is a normal reaction to surgery. 24 hours following the surgery, you may apply warm, moist heat to the sides of the face — this is beneficial in promoting circulation for healing and reducing the size of the swelling. This swelling comes on quickly but is much slower to resolve.

If you are experiencing minor pain, one or two tablets of Tylenol or Extra Strength Tylenol may be taken every 3-4 hours. For more moderate pain, one or two 200 mg Motrin or Advil tablets (ibuprofen) may be taken every 3-4 hours, unless there is a contraindication (such as stomach problems, kidney disease, or a bleeding disorder).

For severe pain, take the prescribed tablets as directed. Your prescription pain medication will slow down your reflexes and make you groggy. Please do not operate machinery or drive a car while taking the prescription pain medication. In between doses of the pain medication, you may take ibuprofen, which can help reduce inflammation and aid in pain relief. Do not take any additional Tylenol when using the prescribed pain medication because it contains Acetaminophen.

Your pain or discomfort following surgery should subside more and more each day, and you may find you can manage your pain with just over-the-counter meds. However, if your pain persists, it may require additional attention and you should contact our office.

After general anesthetic or IV sedation only liquids should initially be consumed. Drink from a glass and do not use straws. The sucking motion can cause more bleeding by dislodging the blood clot. You may eat anything soft or creamy but avoid foods that require chewing close to the surgical sites. A high calorie, high protein intake is very important. Our staff can provide suggested diet instructions. Nourishment should be taken regularly. You should prevent dehydration by taking fluids regularly. Your food intake will be limited for the first few days. You should compensate for this by increasing your fluid intake. At least 5-6 glasses of liquid should be taken daily. Try not to miss any meals. You will feel better, have more strength, less discomfort and heal faster if you continue to eat.

CAUTION: If you suddenly sit up or stand from a lying position you may become dizzy. If you are lying down following surgery, make sure you sit up for one minute before standing. Staying well hydrated will help.

There will be a void in your mouth where the tooth was removed. New tissue will gradually grow into this void over the month following your surgery. While it is healing, the area should be kept clean with salt water rinses or a toothbrush, especially after meals.

Brushing your teeth is okay – just be gentle at the surgical sites. A soft washcloth with toothpaste may be a good option for the first day or two

If you have been prescribed antibiotics, take the liquid or tablets as directed. Antibiotics will be prescribed to prevent infection. To avoid an upset stomach, you may want to avoid taking antibiotics and pain medicine at the same time. In the event of a rash or any other unfavorable reaction, discontinue use of the antibiotic and contact our office immediately.

If you are experiencing an allergic reaction, take Benadryl/Diphenhydramine according to the over-the-counter instructions. If you have questions, please call our office at 940-386-3000.

If you are experiencing nausea and/or vomiting following your surgery, do not ingest anything by mouth for at least an hour, including prescribed medicine. After an hour, you should then sip on “flat” coke, ginger ale, or tea, as carbonation should be avoided. Sip slowly over a 15-minute period.

When your nausea subsides, you can begin taking soft, creamy solid foods, and your prescribed medicine. If your nausea or vomiting persists, please do not hesitate to contact our office; staying well hydrated is a must.

You should also be careful going from the lying down position. Before standing up, you should sit for one minute before getting up. Sore throats and pain when swallowing are not uncommon and will subside in a few days. You may also experience stiffness in the jaw muscles, which is normal and will resolve in time.

You should plan to rest for at least 2 days following surgery. If you are involved in regular exercise, we recommend that you minimize activity and avoid exercise in the first week following surgery. Raising your heart rate and blood pressure can interfere with your healing. Also, be aware that your normal nourishment intake is reduced.

For 24 hours following surgery, a certain amount of bleeding is to be expected. Slight bleeding, oozing or redness in the saliva is common. Avoid swallowing or spitting blood. You can control bleeding by placing direct, firm pressure with a folded gauze pad(s) over the extraction area and biting firmly for 30 minutes. Repeat as necessary — you may need to purchase additional gauze.

If bleeding continues, bite on a moistened tea bag for 30 minutes. The tannic acid in the tea helps to form a clot by contracting bleeding vessels. Keeping your head elevated, avoiding excitement, and avoiding activity, exercise, and excitement will help minimize further bleeding. If bleeding does not subside, please call our office at 940-386-3000 for further instructions.

Swelling can be minimized by using ice packs immediately. Baggies filled with ice or ice packs should be applied to the sides of the face where the extraction was performed. These ice packs should be left on continuously while you are awake. After 24 hours, discontinue your use of ice — it has no beneficial effect after this and may delay your healing process.

If swelling or jaw stiffness continues for several days, this is a normal reaction to surgery. 24 hours following the surgery, you may apply warm, moist heat to the sides of the face — this is beneficial in promoting circulation for healing and reducing the size of the swelling. This swelling comes on quickly but is much slower to resolve.

After general anesthetic or IV sedation only liquids should initially be consumed. Drink from a glass and do not use straws. The sucking motion can cause more bleeding by dislodging the blood clot. You may eat anything soft or creamy but avoid foods that require chewing close to the surgical sites. A high calorie, high protein intake is very important. Our staff can provide suggested diet instructions. Nourishment should be taken regularly. You should prevent dehydration by taking fluids regularly. Your food intake will be limited for the first few days. You should compensate for this by increasing your fluid intake. At least 5-6 glasses of liquid should be taken daily. Try not to miss any meals. You will feel better, have more strength, less discomfort and heal faster if you continue to eat.

CAUTION: If you suddenly sit up or stand from a lying position you may become dizzy. If you are lying down following surgery, make sure you sit up for one minute before standing. Staying well hydrated will help.

If you are experiencing minor pain, one or two tablets of Tylenol or Extra Strength Tylenol may be taken every 3-4 hours. For more moderate pain, one or two 200 mg Motrin or Advil tablets (ibuprofen) may be taken every 3-4 hours, unless there is a contraindication (such as stomach problems, kidney disease, or a bleeding disorder).

For severe pain, take the prescribed tablets as directed. Your prescription pain medication will slow down your reflexes and make you groggy. Please do not operate machinery or drive a car while taking the prescription pain medication. In between doses of the pain medication, you may take ibuprofen, which can help reduce inflammation and aid in pain relief. Do not take any additional Tylenol when using the prescribed pain medication because it contains Acetaminophen.

Your pain or discomfort following surgery should subside more and more each day, and you may find you can manage your pain with just over-the-counter meds. However, if your pain persists, it may require additional attention and you should contact our office.