After Placement of Dental Implants

postoperative care following dental implant surgery

What to Eat:

 You may begin eating once you get home and you are able to leave the gauze out.

  1. For the first day, only eat foods that are soft, cool, and creamy ( like yogurt, pudding, jello, ice cream, milkshakes, or fruit smoothies).
  2. After the first day you may eat warmer soft foods (like scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, soups, or well cooked vegetables).
  3. Do not return to your regular course diet with fried foods, potato chips, crunchy breads or cereals for at least 7 days, or until you are told it is OK by your surgeon.

 Oral Hygiene:

  1. Resume brushing your teeth the day after your surgery, avoid brushing directly over the surgical site.

 How to prevent infections:

  1. DO NOT pick or disturb the site of the implant, or cut any stitches.
  2. DO NOT eat fried or crunchy foods with hard pieces for at least 7 days.
  3. DO NOT SMOKE OR USE TOBACCO AT ANY TIME.

How to prevent swelling:

  1. Prop your head up on pillow, or rest in a recliner when you sleep for 3 days.
  2. Keep the ice on your face during the first 2 days while you are awake.
  3. Remove the gauze in your mouth and ice when you go to sleep overnight
  4. No vigorous physical exercise or strenuous activities for 7 days.

How to control any bleeding you may have:

  1. Take your gauze out 45 minutes after you get home.
  2. If the bleeding seems heavy at any time, place a new fresh gauze over the site and sit straight upright in a chair and bite for 1 hour.
  3. You can substitute the gauze with Tetly or Lipton Tea Bags soaked in icecold water if your bleeding does not slow down by the first evening.
  4. Remove the gauze before you go to sleep at night.
  5. Do not replace the gauze after the first day.

How to take your medicine:

  1. NEVER take medicine on an empty stomach. Always eat something first.
  2. Please take the antibiotic you were prescribed 3-4 times a day spaced evenly throughout the day and night without stopping until completely gone.
  3. If prescribed Motrin, take every 8 hours for the first 3 days and then only as needed.
  4. Only take the narcotic pain medicine as needed for pain. This medicine can cause nausea and vomiting if taken continuously.
  5. NEVER drive or operate any heavy machinery while taking any narcotic medication. IT IS THE LAW.

OTHER COMPLICATIONS:

  1. If you are on birth control pills, it is important that you understand that you are at risk for pregnancy while on antibiotics due to drug interactions. Alternate methods of birth control are necessary.
  2. If numbness of the lip, chin, or tongue occurs, there is no cause for alarm. As reviewed in your consultation, this is usually temporary in nature. You should be aware that if your lip or tongue is numb, you could bite it and not feel the sensation. Please call Dr. Dootson, Dr. Clary, Dr. Tucker, or Dr. Strider if you have any questions or concerns.
  3. Slight elevation of temperature immediately following surgery is not uncommon. If the temperature persists, please notify the office. Tylenol or Ibuprofen should be taken to reduce the fever.
  4. You should be careful when moving from the lying down position to a standing position. You could get light headed from low blood sugar, or from medications. After lying down, you should sit for one minute before standing up.
  5. Occasionally patients may feel hard projections in the mouth with their tongue. They are not roots; they are bony walls which supported the tooth. These projections usually smooth out spontaneously. If not, they can be removed by Dr. Dootson, Dr. Clary, Dr. Tucker or Dr. Strider.
  6. If the corners of your mouth are stretched, they may dry out and crack. Your lips should be kept moist with an ointment such as Vaseline.
  7. Sore throats and pain when swallowing are not uncommon. The muscles may be swollen, which can make the normal act of swallowing become painful. This will subside in 2-3 days.
  8. Stiffness (Trismus) of the jaw muscles may cause difficulty in opening your mouth for a few days following surgery. This is a normal post-operative event which will resolve in time