POST-OP
INSTRUCTIONS
before & After photos

POST- OP INSTRUCTIONS

 

 

Post-op Instructions after Fillings

  • Depending on the anesthetic used, patients will typically be numb for a few hours after a filling.
  • It is common for the jaw and gums to be sore following filling. If this continues more than a day, please contact your dentist.
  • Sensitivity is a common post-operative symptom especially with deep fillings. These symptoms generally go away in a short period of time. Symptoms can last from several days to several weeks. Please contact your dentist if symptoms persist, do not decline or are not manageable.
  • Because of difficulty in determining an accurate bite because of numbness, sometimes fillings may seem high or “taller” than other teeth. If this is the case, please contact your dentist immediately.

Post-op Instructions following Crown or Bridgework

  • Depending on the anesthetic used, patients will typically be numb for a few hours following crown or bridgework.
  • It is common for the jaw and gums to be sore following the procedure. Please contact your dentist if this soreness
    is not manageable.
  •  A temporary is meant to protect the underlying tooth, maintain the space for the permanent crown and prevent the gum tissue from folding over the
    underlying tooth. If a temporary breaks or comes off, please contact your dentist immediately.
  • Please avoid sticky foods that may dislodge the temporary crown.
  • Keep the area clean by brushing, flossing and using mouthwash daily.
  • When flossing, snap the floss through the contacts of the temporary and slide the floss out. Do not floss up
    through the contact again. This may dislodge the temporary.
  • Some post-op sensitivity is expected especially if the decay was deep.
    Some symptoms may last a few days to a few weeks. If sensitivity persists, does not decrease or if sensitivity is
    not manageable, please contact your dentist.

Post-op Instructions following Denture or Partial Delivery

  • If an immediate denture is delivered, please follow Post-op Instructions following Extractions in addition.
  • Please keep your new denture or partial in your mouth for 24 hours. If this is not possible, please wear for as long as possible.
  • After 24 hours, please remove and clean.
  • To clean a denture or partial, use a plain toothbrush, dish soap and water to clean denture. Please do not use any abrasives like toothpaste, baking soda or bleach. These items will create pores in your new appliance and may cause a breakdown of materials.
  • Please use an over-the-counter denture cleaner at least two times a week.
  • It is common to experience discomfort after delivery of a denture. It is common to need an adjustment to the denture or partial. Please follow up with your dentist for your scheduled post-op visits.
  • Your new dentures are like a new pair of shoes. Your tongue, cheeks, lips will need some time to get used to the denture or partial.
  • Your speech may be different initially following delivery. To help, please read aloud several times a day so your mouth can learn to adjust to your new appliance.

Post-op Instructions following Occlusal Appliance or Nightguard Delivery

  • It is common to experience some discomfort following delivery of appliance.
  • Please wear your appliance as directed by your dentist.
  • Please clean your appliance with a toothbrush, dish soap and water only. Please do not use toothpaste, baking soda or bleach to clean your appliance. Using these items may create pores in your appliance leading to a breakdown in materials.
  • If your appliance allows, clean with a denture cleaner once weekly as directed. Your doctor will direct you in best practices.
  • Your appliance may need adjustments. Please contact your dentist if you should feel discomfort or pain.

Post-op Instructions following Root Canal Therapy

  • Depending on the anesthetic used, patients will typically be numb for a few hours following root canal therapy.
  • It is fairly common for the jaw and gums to be sore following the procedure. Please contact your dentist if this soreness is not manageable.
  • Healing after root canal therapy is highly dependent upon the condition of the tooth prior to the procedure. Some teeth take longer to heal. Sometimes an antibiotic may need to be prescribed before or after treatment. 
  • Pain management is a key in the healing process. OTC medications are commonly recommended to help manage pain. Your dentist will advise based upon your specific needs.
  • Once a root canal is completed, depending upon the condition of the tooth, care must be taken to not chew on that tooth prior to final restoration. The root canal is usually the first step only.
  • Continue to brush and floss as recommended by your dentist
  • It is important to follow up with your dentist for your final restoration.

Post-op Instructions following Periodontal Therapy (Scaling and Root Planing)

  • Depending on the anesthetic used, patients will typically be numb for a few hours
  • Scaling and root planing is a nonsurgical approach to periodontal therapy.
  • It is common to experience soreness in the gums and jaws after the procedure.
  • Resume home care with brushing and flossing as indicated by your dentist.
  • It is fairly common to experience cold sensitivity after the procedure.
  • It is common for the teeth to feel “looser” initially. As the gums heal, they may “tighten” up again.
  • It is important to follow up with your dentist as recommended for maintenance visits.

Post-op Instructions following Extractions

  • Depending upon the anesthetic used, patients will typically be numb for a few hours following an extraction procedure. If numbness persists for more than 12 hours, contact your dentist.
  • It is exceptionally common to experience soreness in the jaws and the areas of extractions.
  • Do not disrupt the blood clot in the area of extractions. We want that blood clot to form to help stimulate the healing process.
  • Please “gently” rinse your mouth 3-4 times daily with salt water (¼ tsp in 8oz water). Avoid “forcefully” rinsing your mouth during the healing process. The blood clot should remain intact. Please avoid commercial mouthrinses containing alcohol during the healing period.
  • Pain management is extremely important. For better healing, stay one-step ahead of your pain. Your dentist will discuss with you options to manage pain.
  • Smoking should be stopped following surgery. Healing time will be reduced and the chance for a successful outcome is increased.
  • It is common to experience swelling following surgery. Please manage with cold compress for 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off. Continue as needed for the first day.
  • Starting on Day 2, warm compresses can be used to promote healing.
  • Please do not brush your teeth for the first night after surgery. This will aid in the blood clot forming.
  • Eat cold, soft foods for the first day following surgery. Stay hydrated. Protein shakes, smoothies, milkshakes are great! Please avoid alcohol in the healing phase. Chilled foods and drinks should be eaten on the day of surgery. Starting on the 2nd day, warm foods can be eaten.
  • Take plenty of rest after surgery. Please avoid any activity which may raise blood pressure for the first 24 hours.
  • If antibiotics were prescribed, please take them as directed throughout the recommended course.
  • Please follow up with your dentist for the recommended post-op visits.

Postoperative Instructions: Bone Grafting/Socket Preservation

  • Do not disturb the wound. Avoid rinsing, spitting, or touching the wound on the day of surgery. Be as gentle as you can around the bone grafting area.
  • When experiencing bleeding, apply pressure with clean gauze directly to the area in your mouth that is bleeding, changing the gauze every 30-45 minutes as needed. Steady, consistent, firm, direct pressure for at least 30 minutes at a time is best. Bleeding should decrease over time.
  • We typically place a collagen plug or membrane over the bone graft material to help with establishing a blood clot and initially protecting the graft material. It also assists with guiding soft tissue healing. This sponge-like material may become dislodged from the site. If this occurs within the first day and you feel like bone graft material has come out, please call our office. After this time period, a blood clot will be in place securing the surgical site. Continue to be very gentle and not disrupt this site.
  • Swelling peaks at day 3 after surgery. Use ice packs on and off for 10 to 15 minutes during the first 24 hours to decrease swelling. If you experience rapid swelling, opening of the surgical site, drainage, or bad taste after the 3rd day, please contact our office.
  • Stay hydrated, consuming liquids and puree the first 24 hours. After that, you can advance to a soft diet for the first week after surgery.
  • It is extremely important to take your ANTIBIOTICS for the entire prescribed course to prevent a post-operative infection.
  • Oral hygiene is important for post-operative healing. Do not rinse your mouth or spit for 24 hours. After 24 hours have passed, start brushing your teeth but avoid the bone graft site and the teeth on either side of the bone graft site so as not to disrupt it for the first 7 days. Lightly rinsing your mouth with the prescription rinse or warm salt water can be started after 24 hours. Avoid vigorously rinsing for 72 hours.
  • Do not drink from a straw, smoke, or drink carbonated beverages for 3 days. Do not do any heavy lifting, pushing, or pulling for 7 days after the bone graft.
  • Partial dentures, flippers, or full dentures should not be used immediately after surgery. You may wear these prostheses as soon as it is comfortable, but only if the prosthesis doesn’t touch the graft site.

PRESCRIPTIONS

You were most likely prescribed a pain medication, or possibly instructed to take ibuprofen, or a combination of the two.

  • When you leave the clinic after surgery, your mouth will be numb for at least 2-3 hours.
  • We recommend eating and starting your pain medication before the numbness goes away. Taking pain medication without food can cause nausea. Your doctor will give you other options for pain relief if needed. 
  • If you were prescribed an anti-nausea medication, start taking it AS SOON AS you start to feel ANY nausea. Only take if needed. If you were not prescribed an anti-nausea medication, and you start to have nausea, STOP eating/drinking. If nausea persists for longer than 1-2 hours, call our clinic.
  • Take your prescribed antibiotics for the entire course. It is best to take antibiotics with food.

Postoperative Instructions: Dental Implants

  • Do not rinse your mouth or spit for 24 hours. After 24 hours have passed, start brushing your teeth. VERY GENTLY brush around the healing abutment or implant sites. Begin lightly rinsing your mouth with the prescription rinse or warm salt water. Avoid vigorously rinsing for 72 hours.
  • Do not drink from a straw, smoke, or drink carbonated beverages for 3 days. Do not do any heavy lifting, pushing, or pulling for 7 days after extractions.
  • Swelling and bruising are normal. Swelling will get worse for the first 3 days. Apply ice packs off and on and keep your head lightly elevated for the first 48 hours to help limit this swelling. Jaw stiffness is normal. It should resolve in 5 to 10 days.
  • Intermittent bleeding the first 1-2 days is normal. Apply pressure with clean gauze directly to the area in your mouth that is bleeding, changing the gauze every 30-45 minutes as needed. Steady, consistent, firm, direct pressure for at least 30 minutes at a time is best. Bleeding should decrease over time. If bleeding persists, place a tea bag over the site that is bleeding and bite to apply direct pressure for 30 to 45 minutes.
  • Once the bleeding has stopped or is very minimal, make sure to stay HYDRATED. Drink a lot of water, Gatorade, tea, juice, Vitamin Water (but no straws or carbonated drinks). Yes, you can have coffee – just not too hot.
  • Stay as inactive as possible after coming home from surgery. The more active you are, the more bleeding you will experience.
  • If sutures/stitches were placed inside your mouth, they will dissolve on their own in approximately 10 days.

DIET

  • The day OF surgery, eat “non-chewing” foods (applesauce, Jell-O, broths, ice cream, mashed potatoes, cream of wheat, pudding, baby food, Ensure/Boost drinks, etc.).
  • Beginning the day AFTER surgery, start enjoying a “soft chew” diet (pancakes, eggs, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, pasta, enchiladas, soups without rice, soft cooked vegetables, oatmeal, tamales, muffins, etc.). Continue this diet for 5 days.
  •  

PRESCRIPTIONS

You were most likely prescribed a pain medication or instructed to take ibuprofen, or a combination of the two.

  • When you leave the clinic after surgery, your mouth will be numb for at least 2-3 hours.
  • We recommend eating and starting your pain medication before the numbness goes away.  Taking pain medication without food can cause nausea.
  • If you were prescribed an anti-nausea medication, start taking it AS SOON AS you start to feel ANY nausea. Only take if needed. If you were not prescribed an anti-nausea medication and you start to have nausea, STOP eating/drinking. If nausea persists for longer than 1-2 hours, call our clinic.
  • It is very important to take your prescribed antibiotics as prescribed. It is best to take antibiotics with food.

Postoperative Instructions: Sinus Lift

  • Do not disturb the wound. Avoid rinsing, spitting, or touching the wound on the day of surgery. Be as gentle as you can around the sinus lift site.
  • Do not blow your nose for at least 7 days, as the pressure will delay or damage your sinus healing. If you have to sneeze, do not hold it back-sneeze out. Open your mouth and try to minimize the pressure in your nasal/sinus passages.
  • You may use nasal decongestants, such as over-the-counter Mucinex-D” tablets or Afrin Nasal Spray, to keep your passages dry, especially if you have noticed continued drainage or feel the need to blow your nose.
  • When bleeding, apply pressure with clean gauze directly to the area and change the gauze every 30-45 minutes as needed. Steady, consistent, firm, direct pressure for at least 30 minutes at a time is best. Bleeding should decrease over time.
  • Swelling peaks on day 3 after surgery. Use ice packs on and off for 10 to 15 minutes during the first 24 hours to decrease swelling. If you experience rapid swelling after the 3rd day, the opening of the surgical site, drainage, or bad taste, please contact our office.
  • Stay hydrated, consuming liquids and puree the first 24 hours. After that, advance to a soft diet for the first week after surgery.
  • It is extremely important to take your ANTIBIOTICS for the entire prescribed course to prevent post-operative infection.
  • Oral hygiene is important for post-operative healing. Do not rinse your mouth or spit for 24 hours. After 24 hours have passed, start brushing your teeth, but avoid the sinus lift site and the teeth on either side of the bone graft site for the first 7 days. You can start lightly rinsing your mouth with the prescription rinse or warm salt water after 24 hours. Avoid vigorously rinsing for 72 hours.
  • Do not drink from a straw, smoke, or drink carbonated beverages for 3 days. Do not do any heavy lifting, pushing, or pulling for 7 days after the bone graft.
  • Partial dentures, flippers, or full dentures should not be used immediately after surgery. You may wear these prostheses as soon as it is comfortable, but only if the prosthesis does not put pressure on the sinus lift site.

PRESCRIPTIONS

You were most likely prescribed pain medication or instructed to take ibuprofen, or a combination of the two.

  • When you leave the clinic after surgery, your mouth will be numb for at least 2-3 hours.
  • We recommend eating and starting your pain medication (ibuprofen if able) before the numbness goes away. Take other prescribed pain medication as needed in addition to ibuprofen. Taking pain medication without food can cause nausea.
  • If you were prescribed an anti-nausea medication, start taking it AS SOON AS you start to feel ANY nausea. Only take it if needed. If you were not prescribed an anti-nausea medication and you start to have nausea, STOP eating/drinking. If nausea persists for longer than 1-2 hours, call our clinic.
  • Take your prescribed antibiotics as instructed. It is best to take antibiotics with food.

Postoperative Instructions: Full Mouth Extraction Denture Placement

  • Do not rinse or spit for 24 hours.
  • Do not drink from a straw, have carbonated drinks, or smoke for 3 days.
  • Do not remove your denture/dentures for 24 hours. If you become frustrated and are unable to eat, drink, or take your medicine while wearing your dentures, you can remove them briefly, but not for more than 15-20 minutes. Rinse the dentures off before placing them back into your mouth, but remember DO NOT rinse your mouth (for 24 hours).
  • Do not do any heavy lifting, pushing, or pulling for 7 days.
  • Do not use denture adhesives until your denture doctor says it’s ok to do so.
  • Use ice packs off and on, and keep your head slightly elevated for the first 24-48 hours to control swelling. If you experience some bruising, this is normal.
  • Change gauze every 30-45 minutes until bleeding stops or is very minimal. It is ok to eat/drink if you are still having some bleeding. Remove gauze while eating/drinking.
  • Drink lots of fluids the day OF and the day AFTER surgery to prevent dehydration. (Just nothing carbonated and no straws for 3 days.
  • When you get home from surgery, your mouth will still be numb. We recommend a non-chew diet for the FIRST day. (Applesauce, yogurt, jello, mashed potatoes/gravy, broths, ice cream, sherbert, pudding, baby food, grits, and plenty of non-carbonated fluids, such as Gatorade, water, juice, Vitamin Water, etc.).
  • Beginning the day AFTER surgery, you can enjoy a SOFT chew diet (eggs, pancakes, muffins, macaroni and cheese, pasta, baked potatoes, softened/cooked veggies, refried beans with cheese, casseroles, bananas, oatmeal, tamales, enchiladas, etc.). Continue this diet for approximately a week after surgery. You will gradually begin to enjoy a normal diet.
  • Beginning the day after surgery, remove your denture after eating, rinse off any food debris, and lightly rinse your mouth with the prescription mouthwash or warm salt water.

PRESCRIPTIONS

  • Start taking pain medication before the numbness wears off. Take prescribed ibuprofen 600mg every 6 hours. 3 hours after taking the ibuprofen take 2 tablets of over-the-counter Tylenol 325mg tablets. Continue this regimen for 2 to 4 days after surgery. This regimen may be modified depending on your personal health history. If prescribed other pain medication, take as prescribed. It is recommended to take pain medication with food.
  • You will be given a prescription for anti-nausea medication. If you experience any nausea, take the medication right away to prevent vomiting.
  • You will be given antibiotics and a prescription mouth rinse. Start both of these 24 hours after the surgery. Warm salt water rinses are helpful as well, just not for 24 hours after the surgery. After 24 hours, when you are allowed to start rinsing, rinse lightly, not vigorously.