Home Instructions

After Placement of Dental Implants

Do not disturb the wound immediately following the placement of Dental Implants. 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

Some bleeding or redness in the saliva is normal for 24 hours. Excessive bleeding (your 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, please call 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.

Medications

Make sure to take medications as prescribed by your dentist. Try and take pain medication prior to the local anesthetic wearing off. If you run out of pain medication prescribed by your dentist but still continue to have mild-moderate pain, it is best to take over-the-counter meds such as Tylenol (1-2 tabs every 4 hours) or Ibuprofen such as Advil or Motrin (3 tabs of 200mg every 4-6 hours). If pain is severe, please call your dentist. Never take medications on an empty stomach. Do not take any of the above medications if you are allergic or if you have been instructed not to take them. If antibiotics have been prescribed please take as directed, until gone, 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 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 it out. Warm salt water rinses (teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) should be used at least 4-5 times a day, as well, especially after meals. Brushing your teeth and the healing abutments is no problem. Be gentle initially with brushing the surgical areas.

Activity

Keep physical activities to a minimum immediately 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.