Advice after your Implant surgery

Careful adherence to my advice will enhance the healing process and reduce complications.

Bleeding.

Minor oozing of blood may continue and discolour your saliva for some hours after leaving the practice. However, if bleeding continues and clots are evident, identify the area and apply gentle pressure to the area with a gauze pad i have given you soaked in water for 15 minutes. This may be repeated 3-4 times. If bleeding continues after this, please contact me on the emergency telephone numbers.

Pain.

There is always going to be an element of pain involved in any surgical procedure. The amount of pain you experience will be proportional to the complexity of the implant surgery you have just had. However, as a general rule, pain is present for 2-3 days and gradually subsides from the third to fourth day onwards. The pain is best controlled using paracetamol 1000 mg or ibuprophene 400 mg. It is important not to exceed the maximum dose. These can be taken at 6 hourly intervals and after the second day, ONLY if needed. 

Swelling.

The amount of swelling you experience will be again be proportional to the complexity of the implant surgery you have just had and can reach the neck or eye depending upon whether the upper or lower jaw is operated on. The swelling will follow a similar pattern to the pain and start to go down after three to four days. There is often a residual swelling over grafted or augmented sites, which may persist for 1-2 weeks. Sleep with an extra pillow to lift your head for the first 2-3 nights to help reduce the amount of swelling. You can also use ice packs, which can be carefully held over the operated area at 15-20 minute intervals, totalling no more than one hour during the first two days after the surgery. We go to great lengths to prevent infection during the implant placement procedure. However, there is always a possibility that the site can become infected. If you are experiencing more swelling or pain than you think is normal please contact the practice and we will see you as soon as possible. 

Rinsing mouth. 

Do NOT rinse your mouth on the day of the surgery. You will have been given a bottle of Chlorhexidine mouthwash. On the day of surgery gently bathe the whole mouth with half a capful just before bed. From the following day brush the rest of the mouth as usual and ONLY bathe the surgical site with half a capful of chlorhexidine for 20 seconds, five times a day, until you are seen for removal of sutures. It is important not to rinse over the surgical site in the first few days after surgery to avoid dislodging blood clot and thereby delaying healing.

Avoid.

It is usually possible to take water avoiding the surgical site and a straw can be helpful when implants have been placed at the back of the mouth.

You should avoid hot drinks such as tea or coffee over the area. Alcohol will break down blood clot and should be avoided for at least a week.

Soft Diet.

In the first few weeks after placement the bone cells grow towards the implant and bond with it. It is essential that the implant be not disturbed during eating as this would stun the approaching bone cells and prevent them bonding with the implant. We recommend a soft diet for the first few weeks and avoiding eating anything directly over the newly placed implants.

Avoid Smoking.

We have already discussed how smoking can effect would healing and overall long term prognosis. The only policy is not to smoke at all until the implant has been restored.

Antibiotics. 

You have been prescribed an antibiotic. Please take it as directed until it is finished. If you have taken a sachet of penicillin one hour before surgery - you start the capsules eight hours after taking the sachet. If you are allergic to penicillin you will have been given different instructions to follow. These antibiotics are essential for you as we must avoid any infection at all costs. 

The implant.

There are different techniques for placing implants. Some techniques leave the implant buried and this will then need to be uncovered after 2-3 months. Other techniques involve putting a healing collar on the implant, which shows through the gum as a metal “button”. We can also build a tooth directly on the newly placed implant. We will have explained which technique we have used 

Numbness.

There is a possibility of numbness in the lip when placing implants for the back teeth of the lower jaw. This is usually transient but very rarely can be permanent. The same is true in the gum just behind the front teeth when placing implants for upper front teeth. Any numbness should be reported to the practice.

Nose bleeds.

If implants have been placed for upper back teeth you should not blow your nose for two to three weeks. This applies especially if you have had any form of sinus lift or graft procedure. Please report any nose bleeds to the practice. You have just had dental implants placed. This is state of the art dentistry and you can now look forward to having them restored after a brief period of healing.