After Placement of Dental Implants

Do not disturb your wound after your dental implant surgery. Avoid rinsing, spitting, or touching the wound on the day of surgery. There will be a metal healing abutment protruding through the gingival (gum) tissue.

Bleeding

You should expect some bleeding or redness in your saliva for 24 hours post-surgery. Excessive bleeding (mouth fills up rapidly with blood) can be controlled by biting on a gauze pad placed directly on the bleeding wound for 30 minutes. If bleeding continues past this, please call Comfort Dental for further instructions.

Swelling

Swelling is a normal occurrence after surgery. To minimize swelling, apply an ice bag, or a plastic bag or towel filled with ice, on the cheek in the area of surgery. Apply the ice continuously, as much as possible, for the first 36 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 by the Comfort Dental team.

Pain

You should begin taking pain medication as soon as you feel the local anesthetic wearing off. For moderate pain, 1 or 2 Tylenol or Extra Strength Tylenol may be taken every 3-4 hours. Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) may be taken instead of Tylenol. Ibuprofen, bought over the counter, comes in 200 mg tablets: 2-3 tablets may be taken every 3-4 hours as needed for pain. For severe pain, the prescribed medication should be taken as directed. Do not take any of the above medication if you have related allergies, or if have been instructed by your doctor not to take it.

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 going to 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 the rinse out. Warm saltwater rinses (one teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) should be used at least four to five times a day, as well, especially after meals. Brushing your teeth and the healing abutments is no problem. Be especially gentle initially when brushing the surgical areas.

Activity

Keep physical activities to a minimum immediately following surgery. If you are considering exercise, know that throbbing or bleeding may occur. If this occurs, you should discontinue exercising. Keep in mind that you are probably not taking normal nourishment. This may weaken you and further limit your ability to exercise.

Wearing your Prosthesis

Partial dentures, flippers, or full dentures should not be used immediately after surgery and not for at least 10 days. Dr. Funderburk was discussed this with you in your pre-operative appointment.