After placement of dental implants

Be careful not to disturb the wound. On the day of surgery, do not rinse, spit, or touch the wound. The gingival (gum) tissue may be infected with a metal healing abutment.

Bleeding
During the first 24 hours, there may be some bleeding or redness in the saliva. A gauze pad placed directly on the wound can be used to control excessive bleeding (the mouth fills rapidly with blood). Please call if bleeding persists profusely.

Swelling
It is normal for a patient to experience swelling after surgery. Ice bags, plastic bags, or towels filled with ice can be used to minimize swelling in the cheek near the place of surgery. During the first 36 hours, you should continue to apply the ice as much as possible.

Diet
Stay hydrated. Foods that are hot, hard, acidic, and spicy should be avoided. During the day of the surgery, it is recommended that liquids and soft food be consumed. Once you get back to a normal diet, follow the instructions instructed by your healthcare provider.

Pain
When you feel the local anesthetic wear off, it’s time to start taking pain medication. Follow the directions on your prescription. For adults, take 800 milligrams every 6-8 hours and not more than 3200 milligrams per day. Medications should be taken as prescribed if the pain exceeds six out of ten. In general, hydrocodone/Tylenol 5 mg/325 mg is prescribed. Each tablet should be taken every 4-6 hours. We recommend that individuals under 12 consult our practice. If you are taking pain medication, consider switching to a different drug.

If you are allergic to any of the above medications, or if your doctor has instructed you not to take them, do not take them. Driving a car or working with machinery is not advised. Alcohol should be avoided. Following surgery, pain and discomfort should lessen every day. Pain that persists may necessitate attention, so you should contact our office. Please call the doctor as soon as possible if you feel nauseated or constipated.

Antibiotics
Antibiotics must be taken according to the instructions in order to prevent infection. Taking Amoxicillin 500mg every 8 hours during the course of seven days is the recommended dosage, or you can take it as directed by your doctor. Taking Clindamycin 300mg per week or as prescribed by your doctor will require one capsule taken every 6 hours for a week. Probiotics should be taken with antibiotics to prevent yeast infection. Antibiotics may render oral contraceptive ineffective if you take them. During these few weeks, you should take extra precautions to avoid pregnancy.

Oral Hygiene
The importance of good oral hygiene cannot be overstated. It is recommended that you use warm salt water rinses (one teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) at least 4 to 5 times a day, especially after meals. The healing abutments and your teeth need to be brushed. When brushing surgical areas, be gentle at first.

Activity
Following surgery, limit physical activity to a minimum. It is possible to suffer from throbs or bleeding while exercising. Exercise should be stopped if you experience this. It is probable that you are not getting normal nutrition. Exercise may be further limited by this weakness.

Wearing your Prosthesis
You should not use full dentures, flippers, or partial dentures immediately after surgery without the permission of the doctor.

The symptoms should subside after a few days, and you can resume your normal activities. When bleeding is excessive, severe pain persists for more than two days, or swelling persists for more than three days, contact our clinic immediately at 000-000-0000. If after hours, cell phone is 000-000-0000. Feel free to contact Dr. John Doe by phone or text.