After Your Surgery
Post-Op Instructions
Your recovery is as important to the outcome as the procedure itself.
Ensure Proper Healing
Keep the surgical site undisturbed, especially while a blood clot is forming. Most discomfort responds well to cold and warm compresses plus over-the-counter pain medication. Rest for the first few days, drink plenty of water, and eat nutritiously. We review all of this with you in person before treatment begins.
Impacted Tooth Exposure
Bleeding
Light bleeding is expected for the first 24 hours. If it persists, bite firmly on a gauze pad over the site for 30 minutes. Call us right away if bleeding becomes heavy or won't stop.
Swelling
Swelling around the exposed tooth is normal. Hold an ice pack against the outside of your cheek whenever you're awake for the first 36 hours.
Pain
Start pain medication before the local anesthetic wears off. Ibuprofen or Tylenol usually handles it. Take prescriptions exactly as directed, and call us if severe pain continues.
Oral Hygiene
Beginning the day after surgery, rinse with mouthwash or salt water five to six times daily, especially after meals. Brush with a soft-bristled brush and stay clear of the surgical site.
Diet
Drink plenty of water and eat soft, nutrient-dense foods on the day of surgery. Avoid anything hot. Most patients return to a normal diet within a few days.
Activity
Keep exercise light for the first few days. Strenuous activity can cause bleeding and throbbing at the site. Ramp back up gradually over the following weeks.
Single Tooth Extraction
Bleeding
Some bleeding is normal. Bite on a gauze pad for 30 minutes at a time, repeating as needed. Report excessive or uncontrolled bleeding to us immediately.
Swelling
Minor swelling is common. Apply an ice pack consistently until it subsides, usually within about 48 hours.
Pain
Over-the-counter medication taken as instructed generally controls the discomfort, which eases after a few days. Call us if it worsens instead.
Antibiotics
If antibiotics were prescribed, finish the full course even once you feel fine — this is what keeps infection risk down.
Oral Hygiene
Resume your usual routine 24 hours after surgery: floss daily, brush twice a day with a soft brush, and avoid brushing the extraction site for 72 hours.
Diet
Hydrate well and stick to soft foods until biting and chewing feel comfortable. No hot foods or liquids, no straws, and no alcohol for 72 hours.
Activity
Skip vigorous activity for the first 24 hours; raised blood pressure can dislodge the clot and restart bleeding.
Multiple Extractions
Bleeding
Place gauze over each site and bite firmly for 30 minutes, repeating as needed. Moist tea bags also work, and a partial denture helps control bleeding. Call us if it's heavy or prolonged.
Swelling
Swelling and facial bruising peak two to three days after surgery, then fade. Use ice for 30-minute stretches while awake for the first 48 hours, then switch to heat.
Numbness
Temporary numbness in the chin, tongue, or around the eyes is normal and rarely permanent, though it can linger. Let us know if sensations change or concern you.
Pain
Expect meaningful discomfort for the first few days, sometimes with a sore throat or slightly raised temperature. Tylenol or ibuprofen taken with food helps; avoid alcohol. Call us if pain worsens after four days or a fever develops.
Oral Hygiene
Don't brush your remaining teeth or gums for the first 24 hours so clots can form. After that, rinse with warm salt water five to six times daily, removing any partial denture first, and brush remaining teeth carefully.
Diet
Rehydrate steadily. Start with soft foods and nutrition shakes, avoid straws and hot items, and return to a normal diet gradually as healing allows.
Activity
No strenuous activity for at least two days. Keep your head elevated when resting, don't drive while on pain medication, and avoid bending over or lifting anything heavy.
Socket Bone Grafting
Bleeding
Press gauze firmly onto the site rather than clenching your teeth to hold it — clenching often makes bleeding worse. Contact us if bleeding increases or doesn't stop.
Swelling
Swelling peaks around 48 hours. Keep your head elevated and apply ice in 30-minute intervals for the first two days, then switch to warm compresses.
Pain
Tylenol or ibuprofen generally suffices. Begin before the anesthetic wears off and take medication with food to prevent nausea. Take prescriptions only as directed.
Bruising
Bruising may show up one to two days after surgery. Cold and warm compresses help, and it fades on its own over days to weeks.
Antibiotics
Finish the entire prescribed course. Watch for signs of infection — increasing swelling, intense pain, or foul-tasting drainage — and call us right away if they appear.
Oral Hygiene
No vigorous rinsing or spitting for three to five days. Gentle salt-water or mouthwash rinses can start the day after. Brush and floss carefully, don't touch the site, and avoid lifting your lip so the sutures stay intact.
Diet
Stay on mild, soft, nutritious foods for at least two to four days, returning to normal once the area has healed. Avoid smoking and alcohol for at least two weeks.
Dental Implant Placement
Bleeding
Minor bleeding is normal for the first 24 hours. For heavier bleeding, bite on gauze over the site for 30 minutes. Call us if it's prolonged or uncontrolled.
Swelling
Mild swelling can last a few days. Hold an ice pack or towel-wrapped ice to your cheek as much as possible during the first 36 hours.
Pain
Take Tylenol or ibuprofen before the anesthetic wears off, following dosing instructions. Prescription medication should be taken only as directed. Call immediately if severe pain persists.
Antibiotics
Complete any prescribed antibiotics. Preventing infection is central to the success of the implant.
Oral Hygiene
Use prescribed mouthwash as directed — usually starting the night of surgery — then once or twice daily, along with warm salt-water rinses four to five times a day, especially after eating. You can gently resume brushing, including the site, 24 hours after surgery with a soft brush.
Diet
Hydrate well and eat nutrient-rich foods. Skip hot foods and drinks, don't chew directly on the implant site, and stick to soft options like shakes, yogurt, and applesauce at first.
Activity
Avoid exercise and any activity risking impact to your mouth for the first week. If bleeding or throbbing starts during activity, stop and contact our office.