To ensure your comfort and success of the treatment, here are some suggestions for the days following your dental implant placement.

1. After the surgical part is done, it is possible to feel some discomfort as soon as the anesthesia wears off. To keep it at an absolute minimum, adhere to the following:

Pain medication: should be taken within the doctors office, or as soon as you get home.
Follow instructions on the medicine bottle – you may need to take a little more during the first few hours after surgery – the doctor will advise you.
DO NOT wait until you have pain to start your medication.
DO NOT take the pain medication on an empty stomach.
DO NOT get up abruptly from a reclining position. It can cause dizziness and nausea. Get up slowly.
DO NOT drive while taking pain medication.
DO NOT use alcohol with pain medication – the combination will physically harm you.

2. Swelling

Swelling will occur following surgery. It is very normal (even if it looks excessive to you).
Swelling is not sign of infection. It occurs during the normal healing process.
Ice packs are recommended to reduce swelling. Place on the outside of the face over the area of the surgery every 15 minutes (on the date and night of the procedure). The day after the surgery you may use warm moist compresses (towel dipped in warm water, then wring out… repeat often).
If you feel your swelling is not decreasing after 2-3 days, please call the doctor.

3. Bleeding

Normal for the first 24 hours. A little oozing blood mixed with saliva looks excessive, but it is normal and expected.
DO NOT expectorate constantly – swallow normally. This mixture will not harm you, or upset your stomach.
DO NOT rinse your mouth for 24 hours.
Occasionally, as a patient you may experience excessive bleeding. This can be treated by taking tea bag dipped in ice water and placed under pressure for an hour in the area of excessive bleeding.
If excess bleeding continues, please call the doctor.

4. Antibiotics

If prescribed, begin as soon as possible.
Follow directions on bottle – take until finished.

5. Food / Chewing

DO NOT chew on the side of your mouth just treated, use opposite side for that purpose.
Stay on a cold liquid or semi liquid (very soft diet) on the day of the surgery and for at least a week. After this time, you may eat normally (excluding seeds and spicy food).
It is very important that you eat a nutritionally adequate diet and get plenty of rest following your surgery to enhance your healing process.

6. Smoking:

DO NOT smoke for a week!
Smoking is irritating and slows down the healing process.

7. Brushing-Flossing-Rinsing:

Following your surgery, avoid cleaning your teeth for the firs day.
The day after the procedure, carefully do your routine oral hygiene procedures in areas where surgery has not been performed.
DO NOT brush the areas where the pink dressing (if applicable) is present for the week until we remove it.
Rinse after 24 hours with very warm salt water at least 3 times a day. It will fasten healing and reduce discomfort.

8. DO NOT lie down flat following your surgery. Keep your head in a semi elevated position. Maintaining semi-upright position will help reduce swelling.

9. Avoid overexertion of any kind.

10. DO NOT drink through a straw!

11. A pink covering may have been placed over the treated areas. This is surgical dressing and should not be disturbed. It will remain until your next appointment. If a large piece should come off and cause discomfort, please call the doctor. Refrain from hot liquids for at least 24 hours, as this could melt the dressing. The purpose of it is to protect the treated areas.

ITEMS YOU CAN DRINK & EAT

TEA
WATER
APPLE JUICE
KOOLAID
APPLE SAUCE
JELL-O
MILKSHAKES
ICE CREAM
PUDDING
YOGURT
SHERBERT

ITEMS YOU CAN’T EAT & DRINK

ORANGE JUICE
TOMATO JUICE
CARBONATED BEVERAGES
TOMATO SAUCE
CHIPS
NACHOS
PIZZA
TOAST
HARD BREADS
SEEDS
POPCORN

After 1 DAY AND A HALF – 2 DAYS: Add warm soft diet:
SCRAMBLED EGGS / BAKED CHICKEN / BAKED POTATOES / MASHED POTATOES / SOUPS (WARM).