After Dental Implant Surgery
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What to expect after dental implants:
You will be given specific instructions to follow after surgery is completed. You can expect some bleeding for a while, and you will probably be asked to bite gently on gauze for a few hours after surgery to allow a blood clot to form in the extraction site. Even a little blood can seem like a lot to you, so don’t be alarmed by gentle oozing of blood for a few hours after surgery.
Ice packs applied to the face following surgery will help to reduce swelling, but expect some swelling to occur during the normal healing process. This swelling may increase for the first 48 – 72 hours and then begin to subside. There may be some discoloration of the skin during healing, first black-blue in color, then turning yellow and disappearing in a few days. There may also be pain for several days following surgery. Dr. Flugrad will prescribe the appropriate pain medication for your needs.
Nausea: may result from a general anesthetic or the drugs prescribed for pain. Drinking a small glass of a carbonated beverage will generally control mild nausea. If nausea persists, stop taking the pain medication and substitute an over the counter pain medication for the next dose. If nausea is persistent, call our office.
Antibiotics: Antibiotics may be prescribed to help prevent infection. If you have been placed on antibiotics, take the tablets or liquid as directed. Discontinue antibiotic use in the event of a rash or other unfavorable reaction, and call the office.
Female Patients: Antibiotics and other medications may interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptives. An additional form of birth control should be utilized for one complete cycle of birth control pills after the course of antibiotics or other medication is complete.
Oral Hygiene: The day after surgery you may begin to brush normally. If food should get caught in the sutures use a q-tip with warm salt water and lightly stroke the sutures until the debris is removed.
