On this page: Before Your AppointmentAfter ExtractionsAfter Implant Placement
The following instructions pertain to your health before dental procedures are performed. Please follow these directions carefully for your comfort. If you have any questions at any time please feel free to call our office.
If any antibiotic or other medication has been prescribed to begin before your treatment, please read the label carefully for when to take the medication. Do not stop or alter your other medications unless instructed to do so.
Please wear loose-fitting clothes that permit the sleeve to be rolled well above the elbow, so that we may take your blood pressure.
Please limit facial makeup during treatment appointments. It can get on our gloves and contaminate the surgical site.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you drive if you have elected to have IV sedation or take oral sedative pre-medication for your procedure. Please arrange to be driven to and from the office on the day of your surgery.
Take all medications as prescribed. Pain medications must be taken around the clock to work effectively. Do not smoke for at least 48 hours. For the first 12 hours:
Expect some discomfort. You have just had a surgical procedure on an outpatient basis. For mild discomfort, you may use Tylenol or Ibuprofen. If you were given a prescription for pain, you may want to have it filled if the discomfort becomes intense. If you are taking a prescription pain medication, we advise that you not drink alcoholic beverages, operate machinery, or be placed in a responsible capacity, such as watching small children. Dizziness and drowsiness are common while taking such a pain medication.
A small amount of bleeding may continue following surgery, giving your saliva a pink color.
You can expect swelling to occur – two days up and two days down. This is the body’s natural healing response to invasive or surgical procedures. Discoloration of the area around the surgical site is also a normal response.
You can expect difficulty opening and moving your mouth for approximately 1 week.
After the anesthesia has worn off, sometimes your lips, tongue, cheek, and soft tissue around the area where your tooth or teeth used to be, will be tingly. This condition may last for a few days, weeks, or months. If you have any concerns about your situation, please feel free to call the office for a check up.
The corners of your mouth may be sore and cracked due to having your mouth open for extended periods of time. Please keep the lips moist with lip balm of your choice.
A marked rise in body temperature after surgery may be an indication of an infectious process. Please call our office if you notice any fever type symptoms.
Rinsing of the mouth can begin 12 hours following surgery. Use warm water. Due to their harshness, no mouth rinses are to be used for three days. Tooth brushing may resume 24 hours following surgery. Brush all areas of your mouth as you usually do and gently clean the tissue around the surgical site.
A few patients will have this condition, most often associated with smoking. A blood clot may become dislodged, breaks down and as a result exposes the bone. Pain in the form of a dull constant, low throbbing ache to severe pain may result. This usually begins somewhere around the third to fourth day after surgery. Causes include smoking, poor oral hygiene, heart medications of some types, and aggressive oral hygiene. If this should occur, please call our office. Treatment of the infection will be required.
Small sharp bony fragments may work up through the soft tissue during healing. They are not pieces of tooth, but rather slivers of bone. They usually work themselves out. If problems or pain persist, please call our office so we may see you.
It is important that we see you 7-14 days after surgery for a re-evaluation and follow up of your healing status. This is not a visit to be taken lightly as chances for a complete recovery may be compromised.
If you have any questions with respect to your surgery, your healing, your medication, or your follow-up treatment, please call our office.
A soft diet is of utmost importance for the few days after extractions.
Bleeding is well controlled prior to your discharge. However, some amount of bleeding is perfectly normal. If gauze was placed in your mouth, keep it in for approximately 1-2 hours. You may replace this gauze as needed with new gauze given to you. Apply pressure with gauze manually or by biting with gauze over the surgical site if bleeding continues. If you run out of gauze you may use a wet tea bag or purchase gauze from a pharmacy. Refrain from vigorous rinsing and spitting for the first 24 hours to prevent blood clot destabilization. If profuse bleeding unexpectedly occurs and is uncontrollable, contact the office immediately.
Following surgery, apply cold packs to the face adjacent to the affected surgical areas for the first 24-48 hours to reduce swelling. Cold packs are to be applied intermittently 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off. Simply place crushed ice within a heavy-duty sandwich bag and apply as directed. Starting on the third post-operative day, heat packs may be used in the same manner as above to reduce swelling. Moderate swelling is normal. As long as you are comfortable, do not be alarmed.
Moderate amounts of discomfort can be expected from all minor oral surgical procedures. Take the first dose of pain medication prior to the local anesthesia wearing off. Continue taking the prescribed pain medication as directed. Do not allow the pain to catch up with you. Take the medications on schedule to help control as well as prevent the pain. If severe pain occurs or if you are uncomfortable and cannot gain relief by taking the prescribed medications as directed, please contact the office.
It is imperative that you take all medications as prescribed. Antibiotics are prescribed to prevent infection and must be taken as directed to be effective. Anti-inflammatory and pain medications are prescribed to prevent and reduce swelling as well as pain. If itching, rash, or labored breathing occur while taking the prescribed medications, discontinue all medications immediately and contact the office or go to a hospital emergency room.
Long acting local anesthetics are commonly used. Therefore, you may expect numbness of the gum tissues, lips and tongue for as long as 12-24 hours. Great care must be exercised to prevent biting or maceration of the lips and tongue. If numbness persists after 24 hours, contact the office.
Minor amounts of bruising around the cheeks, lips, neck and face are normal. However, if the bruising extends over the neck area and enlarges over your chest please contact the office.
Do not disturb your stitches. Both dissolvable and non-dissolvable stitches are commonly used. Dissolvable stitches will begin to untie in 1 to 2 weeks. Non-dissolvable stitches will be removed at the first or second post-operative visit. If you feel the stitches are coming undone before 3 days or if you feel loose excess gum tissue, please call the office.
Following surgery, a SOFT diet must be maintained for at least 2 weeks in order to minimize trauma to the surgical sites which can effect healing. In some situations, a longer period of time is required. We will discuss this with you if you require a longer soft diet period. After dental implant surgery, a soft diet is necessary during the implant healing period. This prevents pressure over the implants which can cause implant failure. Chewing on side not affected by surgery is preferable.
A special mouth rinse, Peridex (or its generic) may have been given or prescribed to you. Rinse with this solution two to three times per day for one minute at a time. Tooth paste interferes with Peridex. Therefore, rinse with the Peridex one hour before or after toothpaste use, or discontinue toothpaste use with toothbrushing. Peridex is an antibacterial agent and will help keep the healing surgical areas clean. DO NOT BE ALARMED if Peridex causes tooth staining or changes taste perception. The STAIN IS REMOVABLE and taste sensation will return when Peridex is discontinued. In addition to the Peridex rinsing, (or if Peridex was not prescribed), use a medium or soft bristle toothbrush. Exercise great care to prevent trauma from your toothbrush to the surgical site.
Following certain surgical procedures, a periodontal dressing may be used to cover and protect the surgical site. If a dressing was placed in your mouth, try not to disturb it with hard foods or by brushing. It is common for pieces of the dressing material to come loose. If this occurs within the first two days following surgery, call the office. The area may need to be re-dressed. If the dressing comes loose after this time, continue with proper oral hygiene as outlined above.
Avoid driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery when taking pain medications. Limit moderate and high physical activity for two weeks following surgery. This includes jogging or running, aerobics, and heavy housework. Walking and light housework is permitted as tolerated.
Refrain form alcohol consumption for 24 hours following surgery and 48 hours if IV anesthetics were used. Smoking severely compromises tissue healing. Refrain from smoking for at least 2 weeks following surgery.