after BONE GRAFTING
PLEASE READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. Sometimes the aftereffects of oral surgery are quite minimal, so not all of these instructions may apply. Common sense will often dictate what you should do. However, when in doubt, follow these guidelines or call our office at any time for clarification.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE DAY OF SURGERY
Bleeding
Bite down gently but firmly on the gauze packs that have been placed over the surgical area(s), making sure they remain in place. Do not change them for the first hour unless the bleeding is not being controlled. Remove gauze after one hour. If active bleeding persists, place enough new gauze to obtain pressure over the surgical site for another 30-60 minutes. The gauze may be changed as necessary and may be dampened and/or fluffed for more comfortable positioning.
Exercise Care
Do not disturb the surgical area today. DO NOT rinse vigorously or probe the area with any objects or your fingers. You may brush your teeth gently. DO NOT SMOKE for at least 48 hours, as this is detrimental to healing.
Swelling
Often there is some swelling associated with oral surgery. You can minimize this by using a cold pack or ice bag wrapped in a towel and applied firmly to the face or cheek adjacent to the surgical area. This should be applied 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off during the first 12-24 hours after surgery. If you have been prescribed medication for the control of swelling, be sure to take it as directed. After 24 hours it is usually best to switch from ice to moist heat applied to the same areas.
Pain
Unfortunately, most oral surgery is accompanied by some degree of discomfort. You will usually have a prescription for pain medication, and if you take the first pill before the anesthetic has worn off you will be able to manage your discomfort more effectively. Effects of pain medications vary widely among individuals. Remember that the most severe discomfort is usually within the first 6 hours after the anesthetic wears off.
Nausea
Nausea is not an uncommon event after surgery, and it is sometimes caused by strong pain medications. Nausea may be alleviated by preceding each pill with a small amount of soft food, then taking the pill with a large volume of water. Try to keep taking clear fluids and minimize the pain medication, but call us if you do not feel better or if repeated vomiting is a problem.
Diet
Eat any nourishing food that can be taken comfortably. Foods which are hot (temperature) may result in increased bleeding. It may be advisable to avoid these foods in the first 24-48 hours. It is sometimes advisable, but not required, to confine the first day’s intake to bland liquids or pureed foods such as creamed soups, puddings, yogurt, milkshakes, etc. Please wait until the local anesthetic has worn off before attempting to chew with any force. You may injure your lips or tongue because you can’t feel them.
Brushing
It is ok to brush your teeth on the day of surgery. Please follow the instructions as detailed below.
Smoking
As always, we recommend to abstain from smoking for the overall health of our patients. Smoking can result in painful/delayed healing as well as failure of bone grafting and implants. It is recommended to abstain from smoking for as long as possible prior and after oral surgery.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR AFTER THE FIRST 24 HOURS
Diet
Please avoid chewing at the grafted/operative site. We typically recommend to avoid directly chewing at the site for a minimum of 3 months. We recommend chewing softer foods on the opposite side of your mouth for the first 1-2 weeks after surgery. During this time we recommend you avoid tough meat, nuts, chips and seeds. If food packing in the site of the surgery can be avoided, the outcome of the graft procedure can be maximized. After the initial 1-2 weeks, the soft regimen can then be transitioned to a full diet with chewing confined to the opposite side.
Brushing
Direct tooth brushing should be avoided at the graft site. We recommend you brush the teeth adjacent to the surgical site very gently. Your remaining dentition should receive routine oral hygiene. We recommend this regimen for 2-3 weeks after surgery, after which you may return to your normal routine. This regimen should still deliver good hygiene, we just ask that extra caution be taken at the surgical site.
Rinsing
Rinsing should be very gentle after bone grafting procedures. Vigorous rinsing can potentially displace some of the graft material. Although it is normal for some of this material to make its way out of the site, gentle rinsing will help minimize it. Rinsing will be an important part of keeping the surgical site clean as direct tooth brushing is to be avoided at the site. If you have been given a prescription mouth rinse, please rinse with it very gently, twice daily, for 1-2 weeks. You may also use warm salt water as an adjunct if you would like to rinse more frequently.
Straws
The use of straws and forceful rinsing may also displace graft material. We recommend the avoidance of these two actions for 2-3 weeks after surgery.
It is our desire that your recovery is as smooth and pleasant as possible. Following these instructions will assist you, but if you have questions about your progress please call our office. PLEASE TRY TO CALL DURING OFFICE HOURS. Calling during office hours will afford a faster response. However, you may call us after hours and an answering service will take your call and contact a doctor.