Caring for Your Dental Implants After Surgery

Do not disturb the wound around the dental implant. Avoid rinsing, spitting, or touching the wound around the dental implant on the day of surgery. There will be a metal healing abutment protruding through the gingival (gum) tissue.

Bleeding

Some bleeding or redness in the saliva is normal for 24-48 hours. Excessive bleeding (your mouth fills up rapidly with blood) can be controlled by biting on a gauze pad placed directly on the bleeding wound near the dental implant for 30 minutes. If bleeding continues, please call for further instructions.

Swelling

Swelling is a normal occurrence after any type of surgery, including dental implant surgery. Swelling is typically at its worst 48-72 hours after surgery. To minimize swelling, apply an ice bag, or a plastic bag, or towel filled with ice on the cheek in the area of the dental implant surgery. Apply the ice 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off.

Drink plenty of fluids. Avoid hot liquids or food. Soft food and liquids should be eaten on the day of surgery. Return to a normal diet as soon as possible unless otherwise directed.

You should begin taking pain medication as soon as you feel the local anesthetic wearing off. Pain can be at its worst 48-72 hours after surgery. For moderate pain, one to two Tylenol or Extra Strength Tylenol may be taken every three to four hours. Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) may be taken instead of Tylenol. Ibuprofen, bought over the counter comes in 200 mg tablets. Two to three tablets may be taken every three to four hours as needed for pain. For severe pain, the prescribed medication should be taken as directed. Do not take any of the above medication if you are allergic, or have been instructed by your doctor not to take it.

Be sure to take the prescribed antibiotics as directed to help prevent infection.

Good oral hygiene is essential to good healing. Warm salt-water rinses (one teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) should be used at least four to five times a day especially after meals. The day after surgery, brushing your teeth with the healing abutments is not a problem. Be gentle initially when brushing the surgical areas.

Keep physical activities to a minimum immediately following surgery. If you are considering exercise, throbbing or bleeding may occur. If this occurs, you should discontinue exercising. Keep in mind that you are probably not taking normal nourishment. This may weaken you and further limit your ability to exercise. If you have been sedated, or you are on prescription pain medication, you must wait 24 hours before resuming physical activities or driving a motor vehicle.

Partial dentures, flippers, or full dentures typically can be worn if it is comfortable. This was discussed in the preoperative consultation.