Post-operative instructions:
dental implants

Implant home care instructions

BLEEDING

Bite on the gauze pack in your mouth with firm, continuous pressure for at least 30 minutes after leaving the office. Repeat at least twice if bleeding continues. Sit upright. While biting on the gauze, AVOID ANY SPITTING OR VIGOROUS RINSING. Remove gauze when there is a residual component of one- quarter red and the rest pink, which is a normal small amount of seepage and will continue for 24 hours.

ACTIVITIES

Reduce your activities today. If you are considering exercise, throbbing or bleeding may occur and delay your healing. Plan on returning home to rest and take your prescribed medications. Cigarette smoking is contraindicated throughout the implant healing phase (4 months). Smoking highly increases the implant failure rate by 3 times.

SWELLING

Swelling can be a normal occurrence after surgery. To minimize swelling, apply ice packs facially to the affected areas as soon as possible following surgery. Use the ice 20 minutes on and then 20 minutes off for optimal effectiveness for swelling. Please note that ice is not effective after the first day.

PAIN

Some discomfort or pain is normal and should be relieved by the prescription medication. Take all medication with food and fluid to avoid stomach upset or nausea. Do not utilize an over-the-counter anti­-inflammatory until the prescription anti-inflammatory is finished.

NUMBNESS

For procedures on the lower jaw, our office uses a long-acting anesthetic. Your chin and tongue may be numb for 12–36 hours. For upper jaw procedures, a shorter-acting anesthetic will be used, lasting 2–4 hours following surgery.

MEDICATIONS

Prior to your implant procedure you were given prescriptions to start 2 days prior to implant placement. Please continue with these medications as directed. The antibiotics, if prescribed, need to be taken until completely gone. (Please note that antibiotics decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills.) Take all medications with a full glass of water and soft foods. If any side effects or nausea occur, discontinue the medications and call the office.

ORAL HYGIENE

Continue with the oral rinse Peridex™ as directed until gone. Good oral hygiene is essential to good healing. Resume brushing your teeth the second day after surgery using a soft manual toothbrush. Avoid brushing directly on the surgical site. DO NOT USE ELECTRONIC TOOTH BRUSH FOR 2 WEEKS.

IMMEDIATELY LOADED SINGLE TOOTH IMPLANT CASES

Your crown will be adjusted so that it is completely out of occlusion. This temporary crown is only for aesthetics and should not be used to chew. Please take extreme caution to not chew on the side where this temporary crown is located for the next month. If you chew on this crown, there is a high risk of implant failure in the future. Please discuss these instructions with our staff or with the doctor if you have any questions.

ALL-ON-4 IMMEDIATELY LOADED FULL-ARCH CASES

Please stick to a very soft diet for the next month. Any foods that take less than 3 chews to swallow should be adequate. If you chew excessively or on hard food, there is a high chance that the implants could fail. We recommend cutting soft foods into small pieces with a fork and knife and possibly consider pureed foods. Please discuss with our staff or doctors if you have any questions or concerns regarding these instructions.

DIETARY SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPLANT PROCEDURES

For optimal implant integration, it is important to have a soft diet for 7–10 days following implant placement. This will help the implant adhere to the bone without adding stress to the implant. You may resume a regular diet around the 10th day after placement of the implant. Listed below are some dietary suggestions that we hope you will find useful and help promote optimal healing.

Please do not use a straw for the first 4 days following surgery.

  • Milkshakes (You may add yogurt or fruit such as a banana)
  • Carnation® Instant Breakfast®
  • Protein drinks (e.g., Ensure® or Boost®)
  • Soups and broths
  • Jamba Juice
  • Puddings
  • Jell-O®
  • Ice cream
  • Applesauce
  • Pasta
  • Mashed or baked potato
  • Macaroni and cheese
  • Scrambled eggs (any style)
  • Pancakes/waffles
  • Soft muffins
  • Rice
  • Tuna/Salmon
  • Steamed vegetables
  • Chili
  • Oatmeal/cream of wheat
  • Tofu

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL US WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS REGARDING YOUR IMPLANT SURGERY.

(408) 245-6010