After Dental Implant Surgery

Do not disturb the wound. Avoid rinsing, spitting, or touching the wound on the day of surgery. There may be a metal healing abutment protruding through the gum tissue.

Post-Op Instructions:

• Is It Normal To Bleed After Dental Implant Surgery?
• Is Swelling Normal After Receiving Dental Implants?
• What Can I Eat After Dental Implant Surgery
• How To Manage Pain After Receiving Dental Implants
• What Antibiotics Can I Take?
• Oral Hygiene After Getting Dental Implants
• What Physical Activity is Ok After Dental Implant Surgery?
• Wearing your Prosthesis

---

Is It Normal To Bleed After Dental Implant Surgery?

We will send you home on the day of the surgery with extra gauze. The gauze should be changed every 20-30 minutes until the bleeding stops or until it slows to the point that the gauze is only pinkish in color when it is changed.

Even after you have determined that there is no longer a need for the gauze you may notice some bleeding or redness in the saliva, this is not unusual and may last up to 24 hours. Excessive bleeding (your mouth fills up rapidly with blood) can be controlled by doubling the gauze and biting on it for 30 minutes.

If bleeding continues please call for further instructions.

Is Swelling Normal After Receiving Dental Implants?

Swelling is a normal occurrence after surgery. For your convenience, we will send you home on the day of surgery with a refillable ice bag. To minimize swelling, apply the ice continuously or as much as possible, for the first 36 hours.

What Can I Eat After Dental Implant Surgery

Your diet on the day of surgery will consist of mostly cool clear liquids. Avoid milk products, any carbonated drinks, or any beverage containing acid or pulp for the first 24 hours following surgery.

24 hours after surgery you may resume a normal diet, eating foods that are comfortable for you to eat and avoiding foods that are sharp or crunchy.

How To Manage Pain After Receiving Dental Implants

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 4-6 hours as needed for pain.

For severe pain, the prescribed medication should be taken as directed. You should be aware that the prescribed medications can make you drowsy and impair your judgment.

While taking any prescribed medications you should not drive, operate machinery or participate in any activity that would require judgment.

Do not take any of the above medication if you are allergic, or have been instructed by your doctor not to take it.

What Antibiotics Can I Take?

Be sure to take any prescribed antibiotics as directed to help prevent infection.

Oral Hygiene After Getting Dental Implants

Good oral hygiene is essential for healing after surgery. You will not be able to brush your teeth following surgery but may resume brushing the next day.

Brush your teeth as you always do, but use caution in the areas of the surgery. Warm salt water rinses (one teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of warm water) should be used at least 4-5 times a day, as well, especially after meals.

What Physical Activity is Ok After Dental Implant Surgery?

Physically strenuous activities are to be avoided immediately following surgery and for 7 days following surgery. If you are considering exercise, 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 for at least 10 days. This was discussed in the pre-operative consultation.