After dental implant surgery

DENTAL IMPLANT HOME CARE INSTRUCTIONS

  • Use the gauze pads with pressure over the areas to control any bleeding.  Change them every 30-45 minutes until they become a light pink color.
  • Take your antibiotics and pain medication as directed.
  • Do not brush your teeth in the area for the first 24 hours.  After 24 hours you may brush your teeth, staying one tooth away on either side of the site(s).  The prescribed chlorhexidine rinse can now be used by saturating a cotton ball and place this directly over the implant site for 20-30 seconds twice a day.
  • Cold packs can be used over the jaws/cheeks for the first 24-48 hours to help reduce swelling.  If used, keep cold packs on for 20 minutes, then leave off for 10 minutes and repeat.
  • The day of the procedure it is best to eat cold, soft foods.  Examples include ice cream, jello, yogurt and applesauce.  Hot or cold softer foods can be eaten after the first day.  Examples include mashed potatoes, pasta, soups and scrambled eggs.  Do not have any hard, sharp and crunchy foods for up to 4-6 weeks.  This includes tortilla chips, popcorn, tacos with hard shells and nuts.
  • After 48 hours, hot saline soaks can be started. This is done by taking 12 oz of hot water (as hot as possible without burning the inside of the mouth) and mixing it with 1/4 teaspoon of salt.  Hold this solution in the surgical site, without swishing, until the water cools.  This should take at least 10 minutes to perform and should be done 4-5 times per day.
  • Tissue damage can occur when wearing a removable appliance (“flipper”, Invisalign type prosthesis, denture or partial denture) post-operatively.  As your gums swell after the procedure, they can push into the appliance while it is worn.  This could damage the tissue and lead to failure of the implant, graft or cause an esthetic deformity.  Unless otherwise instructed by Drs. Yamada and Zeidan, your appliance should be minimally worn or not worn at all during the first 2 weeks even though it will be adjusted to minimize this problem.
  • Do not exercise or perform strenuous physical activities for 3-7 days following surgery (this will depend on your particular procedure).