Day 1: Continue biting on the gauze for 30-60 minutes following your procedure. Do NOT spit, rinse, suck (using a straw), smoke, drink carbonated or alcoholic beverages for at least 24 hours. Passively empty your mouth when needed. The goal is to keep blood clot in the socket to prevent bleeding and a painful complication known as DRY SOCKET.

Day 2: You will most likely experience one or more of the following symptoms:

Minor pain, swelling, bruising, limitation in opening or closing your mouth, pain in jaw or ear, sore throat. It is important to listen to your body and take it easy.

No heavy lifting, spitting, sucking, alcohol or smoking.

Oral hygiene: Brush gently. A gentle lukewarm salt water rinse can be used to freshen your mouth. But again, do not spit; just let the fluid passively empty. The corners of your mouth may become cracked and dry – moisturize frequently.

Discomfort: Over-the-counter- pain medication (Ibuprofen, Aleve, and Tylenol) may be taken as directed on the bottle to relieve discomfort.  We recommend 3 tabs of 200mg ibuprofen and 2 tabs of extra strength 500mg tylenol.  

Swelling: Apply cold compresses to affected area at 10 minute intervals for the first 24 hours to minimize swelling. Any swelling that occurs usually begins to diminish within 72 hours; call the office if there is no change.

Bleeding: Some oozing of blood is normal for the first 12-24 hours. Put a hand towel on your pillow as some drooling can occur when you are numb. If you experience excessive

bleeding, apply firm pressure with 1-2 folded gauze pads or damp tea bag on the affected area for 30-60 minutes and keep your head elevated. Call the office if the bleeding does not subside.

Diet: Drink plenty of fluids.

Avoid carbonated and alcoholic beverages. A soft diet will be easiest: yogurt, milkshakes (no straw), soups, fish, pasta. Nothing too spicy is recommended. It is normal to have a little tenderness while chewing and difficulty opening wide.

Stitches: If you have received sutures, avoid playing with them. A fifteen minute

appointment may be needed to remove the sutures in 7-10 days.

Prescriptions: If you have been prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed until they are all gone, even if symptoms dissipate. Some antibiotics can interfere with the effectiveness of birth control pills or other medications. If pain medication or a mouth rinse is prescribed take as directed.  In case of any unusual disturbances, questions or any post surgical problems, please call the

office.

By nature, implant surgery is a bit of a taxing process; however, with the right care and proper maintenance, you should be able to make a comfortable and quick recovery that brings you one step closer to having a complete and healthy smile again. During the initial recovery period, it’s important to make sure that the blood clot that forms over your surgical site remains completely untouched so your gums can heal around the implant. To help with         this, be sure to avoid:

• Drinking with straws
• Spitting (use tissues instead or swallow your saliva)
• Smoking or using tobacco
• Touching the surgical site with your fingers or tongue

It’s not uncommon to experience gradual and intermittent bleeding, swelling, and general discomfort after undergoing dental implant surgery. However, these symptoms should all disappear on their own. If you’re experiencing a symptom that is progressively getting worse or lasting longer than normal, don’t hesitate to give us a call! In the meantime, here are some steps you can implement to manage your side effects:

• If bleeding occurs, you can apply gentle pressure to the area with a clean piece of gauze.
• Use a cold compress on the side of your cheek to reduce swelling.
• Take your prescribed or over-the-counter medications to alleviate pain.  We recommend 3 tabs of 200mg ibuprofen and 2 tabs of extra strength 500mg tylenol to be taken every 6 hours for two days.  If at that time the pain in still the same please give us a call to discuss.

It’s important to stick to only eating soft foods during the first few days following your surgery. However,         within a few days, you should be able to slowly reintegrate more solid foods—just be sure to avoid chewing directly on the implant surgery site. Here are some foods that we typically recommend patients stock up on:

• Mashed potatoes
• Yogurt
• Pudding
• Ice Cream
• Soup (not too hot)
• Scrambled eggs
• Pasta

It’s crucial to keep your mouth clean after your surgery to make sure that your implants successfully integrate         with your jawbone. Here are a few oral hygiene tips to help you out:

• You can brush your teeth as you normally would the day after your surgery but be sure to be gentle and careful while brushing near the surgery site.
• Rinse your mouth with salt water two or three times every day, ideally after eating. If you have a prescription mouth rinse, you can use that instead. Be sure to avoid any mouthwash that contains alcohol.

Once your mouth has healed up and your implants have bonded with your jawbone, the last step is to attach the final prosthetic to the implant post(s). You may experience some minor sensitivity in your gum tissue, but with pain medication, it should be completely manageable. You should call us immediately if you notice any swelling or bleeding following this, as it likely indicates there’s a problem.  

After you get a crown

A dental crown will help restore the appearance of your teeth. The crowns can also help to protect teeth that have decay. However, dental crowns do require some care. This will help your crown to last as long as possible.

TEMPORARY DENTAL CROWNS

Sometimes a temporary crown is needed while the permanent crown is being made. The dentist will make an impression of the tooth to have the  permanent crown made. It will take about two to three weeks for the  permanent one to come in. Before that, the patient will receive a  temporary crown. There are several steps a patient can take to maintain  the temporary crown, including:

• Using dental floss carefully; sliding instead of lifting is better
• Avoiding hard foods, which can break the crown
• Avoiding chewy foods, which can pull the crown out
• Cleaning the gums regularly
• Chewing on the opposite side of the mouth as the crown

If the dental crown breaks, patients should contact the dentist. That way, the patient can get it repaired quickly. If the crown  comes off completely, the patient should avoid wearing it while  sleeping. This can cause the patient to accidentally swallow the crown.

AFTERCARE FOR PERMANENT CROWNS 

When a patient has a permanent crown in place, it is a good idea to  follow the tips mentioned above. These should be followed during the  first couple of days. A dentist will encourage the patient to avoid hard  or sticky foods. The patient should use a warm saltwater rinse in the  first week after getting a crown.

Right after getting a crown, a patient should avoid eating or  drinking. The local anesthetic will still be in place, so it is better  to wait until it wears off. This will prevent the patient from  accidentally biting themselves. If the patient feels sensitive or  uncomfortable, they can take an over-the-counter pain reliever.

ORAL HYGIENE FOR A DENTAL CROWN

 A crown is usually made from ceramic or metal. The materials do not  stain as teeth do. However, the crown may have an edge where it meets  the tooth. It is not possible to completely smooth the edge. The patient  will need to take care to clean this area well. The area is more  susceptible to gum disease or cavities.

Using fluoride toothpaste twice a day or more is a good idea.  Patients can use a type of floss that has a stiff tip to clean between  the teeth. An interdental cleaner can be used to remove the plaque.  Patients may receive a high-fluoride gel to help prevent decay.