What You Can Expect

Typically, if patients experience post-surgery discomfort, it’s often within the first 48 hours. Make sure to take your prescribed pain medication before the numbness wears off—this will minimize your discomfort as the feeling returns to the surgical site.

Some people notice swelling and, in rare cases, bruising around the surgery area. This can be minimized by applying a cold compress (or frozen peas work well) to the affected area for 20 minutes. Reapply the cold compress after a 20 minute break—and make sure to start this therapy as soon after surgery as possible, because the longer you wait to begin after surgery, the less effect it will have.

Finally, you may notice a bad taste in your mouth during the healing process. There’s no need to worry, as this is normal, and will subside after a few days.

Things To Do

Bite firmly on the gauze pack given to you for 20 minutes, and then replace it with a new one. This is important for the first hour after your surgery or until just a small red spot of blood is visible on the packing.
Eat soft foods only.
Rest and try to minimize any heavy physical activity for at least a day after your surgery.
Sleep with your head slightly elevated and put a towel over your pillow to protect it from any slight bleeding.
You may rinse with warm salt water (1 teaspoon salt in 8 ounces of water). Be sure not to rinse vigorously – just let the salt water roll around in your mouth and fall out.
Return one week after the surgery to have your sutures (stitches) removed unless we used dissolving sutures. In the case of dissolving sutures, they will fall out on their own. If they become bothersome, you may come in and we’ll remove them.

Things To Avoid

Smoking or any other activity that creates a sucking-type pressure inside your mouth.
Drinking alcohol within the first 24 hours.
Eating hard or sharp foods that might get caught in the extractions site.

If you have any concerns, feel free to call Dr. Lawson at home (522-4141) or on his cell (539-0979).

Post-Operative Instructions for Implant Surgery Patients

Take antibiotics as instructed.
Take the pain medication early. It’s easier to prevent the onset of pain than to counteract it once it has started to become painful. Typically, the most pain (if there is any) will occur within the first 48 hours.
Rinse twice a day with Chlorohexidine Gluconate (0.12%) for 30 seconds each. Time yourself with a clock.
An ice pack or bag of frozen peas placed over the surgery site for 30 minutes on/30 minutes off just after surgery can minimize your chances for any significant swelling during the first 24 hours.
Do not try to brush around the implant site for two weeks. You can brush the rest of your teeth and floss as normal.
Try to stick with a soft diet after the surgery for 2-4 days. This will minimize the risk of trauma posed by hard foods, especially for the initial healing period.
Do not smoke.
Do not rinse vigorously. Rinse with a gentle rolling motion to move the rinse around your mouth.
Some minor swelling may occur. If you experience more than slight swelling &/or your face feels excessively warm to the touch near the implant surgery, please call our office for a follow-up exam.
If you experience any excessive pain, looseness of the implant or anything else that seems unusual to you, please call our office for a follow-up exam.
If sutures were placed, and they were of the non-dissolving type, you will need to return to our office for suture removal. If they were dissolvable sutures, feel free to contact us if the loose suture is bothering you – otherwise they will just go away within 10-14 days.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call Dr. Lawson at 539-0979 (cell) or 522-4141 (home).