TOOTH EXTRACTION / IMPACTION SURGERY / IMPLANT SURGERY

 POSTOPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS

AFTER A MINOR SURGICAL PROCEDURE IT IS NATURAL THAT TEMPORARY CHANGES WILL OCCUR IN THE MOUTH.

YOU’LL BE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY IN JUST A FEW DAYS. IN THE  MEANTIME, YOU SHOULD FOLLOW A FEW SIMPLE

RULES TO HELP PROMOTE HEALING, PREVENT COMPLICATIONS, AND MAKE YOURSELF MORE COMFORTABLE.

 ANAESTHETICS

·         The length of time you experience numbness varies, depending on the type of anaesthetic you’ve received. While your mouth is numb, you’ll want to be careful not to bite your cheek, lip or tongue. The numbness should subside within a few hours.

 BLEEDING

·         We will place a gauze pack or a cotton roll on the extraction site to limit bleeding and confine the blood while clotting takes place. This pack should be left in place for 45 minutes. Do not chew on the pack. There may be some bleeding or oozing after the pack is removed. If so follow this procedure:

1.        Fold a piece of clean gauze or cotton into a pad thick enough to bite on. Dampen the pad and place it directly on the extraction site.

2.       Apply moderate pressure by closing the teeth firmly over the pad for about 30 minutes. If the pad becomes soaked, replace it with a clean one as necessary.

3.       A slight amount of blood may leak at the extraction site until clot forms. However, if heavy bleeding continues, call us.(Remember, though, that a lot of saliva and a little blood can look like a lot of bleeding.)

 THE BLOOD CLOT

       After an extraction a blood clot forms in the tooth socket. This clot is an important part of the normal healing process. You should therefore avoid activities that might disturb the clot. Here’s how to protect it:

          Do not smoke, or rinse your mouth vigorously, or drink through a straw, or suck on the wound for 24 hours. These activities create suction in the mouth, which could dislodge the clot and delay healing.

       Do not clean the teeth next to the healing tooth socket for 24 hours. You should, however, brush and floss your other teeth thoroughly. GENTLY rinse your mouth afterwards.

       Limit strenuous activity for 24 hours after the extraction. This will reduce bleeding and help the blood clot to form.

         If you have sutures, we will instruct you when to return to have them remove.

  MEDICATION

·         We may prescribe medication to control pain and prevent infection. Use it only as directed. If the medication does not seem to work for you, do NOT increase the dosage. If you have prolonged or severe pain, swelling, bleeding, or fever, call us immediately.

 SWELLING AND PAIN

      After a tooth is removed, you may have some discomfort and notice some swelling. You
can help reduce swelling and pain by applying cold compresses (ice) to the face for
about  3 hours.

 DIET

         After the extraction, drink lots of liquids and eat soft nutritious foods. Avoid alcoholic
beverages and hot liquids. Begin eating solid foods after 24 hours or as soon as you
can chew comfortably. For about 2 days, try to chew food on the side opposite the extraction site. If you are troubled by nausea or vomiting, call us for advice.

RINSING

        The day after the extraction, GENTLY rinse your mouth with warm salted water. Rinsing after meals is important to keep food particles out of extraction site, but remember not to rinse your mouth vigorously. Avoid using a mouth rinse or mouthwash during this early healing period.

 ORAL HYGEINE

         It is important to continue to floss your teeth and brush thoroughly at least twice a day. The tongue should also be cleaned. This will help eliminate the bad breath and unpleasant taste that is common after an extraction. Always use a soft bristled brush so that you do not injure the tissue in your mouth. Following extraction, avoid cleaning the teeth next to the healing tooth socket.

 REPLACEMENT OF EXTRACTED TOOTH\TEETH

         It is important to replace the extracted tooth \ teeth. Your appearance, dental health and the proper functioning of your mouth are all important reasons for replacing extracted teeth. Usually teeth should be replaced after approximately 3 months of extraction when the healing is complete and underlying bone is strong enough to withstand the chewing or biting forces.