Due to new advanced technologies and techniques currently utilized in surgical implantology the postoperative pain following a surgical implant(s) placement procedure is usually minimal and / or commonly well-tolerated by most of the patients. However, due to the invasive nature of the implant surgery and range of its complexity as it varies in every individual patients situation please read the following instructions very carefully for they are provided to give you basic information on postoperative care. Please also follow any specific instructions that might have been given to you verbally and / or in writing by your doctor for those instructions are pertinent to your specific treatment situation.
- Please avoid any excessive or exhausting physical activity immediately following the implant surgery. That also includes exposure to excessive heat or lengthy traveling. If you undergone any sedation please allow yourself enough time to ascertain full and complete recovery In many instances normal physical activities may be resumed within 24 to 48 hours. Please contact your doctor if you have any plans that include any traveling soon after the implant (s) placement and /or associated bone grafting procedures.
- To reduce possible postoperative swelling and help alleviating any postoperative pain usage of cold compress / cold pack applications is generally recommended.
- Please follow liquid or very soft diet for 48 hours immediately following the surgery. Depending on your particular situation and the complexity / extent of the surgery this period may be extended for a few days longer. Please follow the specific instructions that were given to you following the procedure or consult your doctor if you need clarifications. The soft / liquid diet may include any commercially available protein drinks, or any shake of your personal preference that has been prepared/liquefied with food blender. Other foods may include pureed fruits and vegetables, yogurts, scrambled eggs, soft cheese, meat pate. Please avoid any aggressive food such as tortilla chips, steak, nuts, popcorn, hard candy, etc., for these may disrupt the sutures and / or lodge into the surgical wound thus leading to serious complications. If possible direct your chewing to the other side of your mouth , away from the area that was operated.
- Though very rare, the postoperative bleeding may occur. Please bite firmly on a piece of clean gauze and contact us should bleeding problem persist
- Do not brush or floss your teeth first 24 hours after the surgery, but instead use an antiseptic rinse that we might have prescribed or provided for you. Resume gentle brushing and flossing next day exercising great deal of care around the area of surgery avoiding any trauma to the tissue or disruption of the sutures. Though usage of mouth irrigators such as Waterpik is an essential part of oral hygiene please do not use it closely or on the surgical area for a few days following the implant and /or bone graft procedures for its application may disrupt the wound closure and expose the graft or even wash it away. Please notify your doctor if you use water irrigator so we can provide you with specific instructions and let you know if and when its safe to use it.
- If prescribed any medications such as antibiotics, please take extreme care to follow regimen as prescribed and finish the entire course as suggested unless any unexpected reaction or side effect occurred. Please immediately notify us for we may need to further address an adverse reaction and / or prescribe an applicable substitution.
- Please contact us and / or your doctor if you have any specific questions that were not addressed by above provided information.