After Implant Placement
Expertise. Integrity. Compassion.
FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY:
- A liquid or soft diet is recommended for the first 24 hours after dental implant surgery. After 24 hours, you may advance your diet, but take care to avoid chewing directly on the implant site.
- Take the prescribed pain medication before the numbness from the local anesthesia wears off.
- Vigorous mouth rinsing or chewing in the areas of the extraction should be avoided. This may cause increased bleeding or the blood clot to dislodge.
- Restrict your activities on the day of surgery and return to normal activities slowly.
BLEEDING:
SWELLING:
Most patients will experience some swelling after surgery in the mouth. It may be mild or severe and is different for every patient. The swelling may increase for the first 24–48 hours before it starts to subside. It may last for several days. To limit swelling, you may place ice packs on the outside of the face where the implants were placed for the first 24 hours. Some bruising may also develop on the face.
DIET:
A liquid or soft diet is recommended for the first 24 hours after dental implant surgery. After 24 hours, you may advance your diet, but take care to avoid chewing hard, crunchy foods directly on the implant site.
ORAL HYGIENE:
You may start rinsing tomorrow, very gently, with some warm salt water (1 tsp of salt in 8 ounces of warm water). You may brush your teeth per usual, though be very careful near the surgical sites.
SUTURES:
Unless told otherwise, the sutures used during your procedure are dissolvable and will fall out on their own. This generally occurs in the first week after surgery, but timing varies from 4–10 days.
BONE GRAFT MATERIAL:
If your surgeon placed bone graft material at the time the dental implant was placed, you might notice occasional gritty material in your. This is nothing to worry about and should subside within a day or two.
WILL I BE ABLE TO SEE THE IMPLANT?
Depending on the location and stability of the implant being placed, your surgeon may opt to bury the implant under the gum tissue. In time, you will return and have the implant uncovered so the implant can be restored.
If stability is optimal, the second stage procedure can be bypassed, and an attachment is placed that protrudes through the gum tissue, which will be visible. Once the bone has healed, the restoring dentist will be able to access the implant without the need for further surgery.
WHEN CAN THE CROWN BE PLACED?
A dental crown can be attached to a dental implant once the implant has fused to the bone. This is a process called osseointegration.
The length of time the bone must heal varies from case to case and will be discussed with your surgeon. The length of time needed for osseointegration is a function of the bone quality, quantity, and implant stability at the time of placement.
MEDICATIONS:
You were probably given one or more prescriptions for medications. Take all as directed on the bottle. Call us if you experience severe nausea or diarrhea, or cannot swallow your pills.
Antibiotics
Continue until the bottle is empty. Do not quit halfway.
Pain Medicine
500mg of acetaminophen (Tylenol®) and/or 600mg of ibuprofen every 6 hours while awake is typically adequate for post-operative pain control and is typically needed for the first 2-5 days following implant placement.
On occasion, it may be necessary to take narcotic pain medication in a scheduled fashion (every 4–6 hours) for the first 24 hours and as needed thereafter. Remember that narcotics can make you drowsy, so no driving, swimming, operating machinery, or drinking alcoholic beverages while you are taking them.
ACTIVITY:
Once you are no longer taking narcotic pain medication, you may resume your normal activities as you feel up to it. Go easy at first with exercise and recreation, and increase your activity slowly over several days back to your normal routine.
Please follow these instructions as closely as possible. They are designed to help you heal quickly and comfortably.
FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS:
Once you are no longer taking narcotic pain medication, you may resume your normal activities as you feel up to it. Go easy at first with exercise and recreation, and increase your activity slowly over several days back to your normal routine.
Please follow these instructions as closely as possible. They are designed to help you heal quickly and comfortably.
QUESTIONS?
We are here for you.
If you have a question about your procedure or treatment plan, please contact us at any time. All calls after hours after hours will be answered by our answering service and a surgeon will be contacted. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.