Post-Op Instructions....

After your dental implant procedure is complete, Smile Implant Center will work closely with you and your restorative dentist to develop a care plan that works for you. Follow-up visits will be scheduled to monitor your implant, teeth and gums to make sure they remain healthy.

Immediately following surgery, you may be asked to bite on some gauze to stop any bleeding. There may be some swelling in the surgical area as well as some discoloration of the skin. Your surgeon may recommend you use an ice pack during the first 24 hours to help reduce swelling. Any discomfort you experience should be alleviated by the prescribed medication, and you should be able to resume your normal activities within three to five days. Your surgeon may also prescribe antibiotics. Expect some minor bleeding on the day of the surgery, but report excessive bleeding to your surgeon immediately.

During this time your Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon may recommend you follow a soft diet that doesn’t place undue stress on your new implants. He will also instruct you on how to clean your mouth. If you have been wearing a denture, the surgeon or restorative dentist may place a soft lining in it so you can wear it comfortably during the healing period, or it may be necessary to leave the denture out for a short period of time. If spaces left by missing teeth must be filled while healing takes place, temporary teeth that appear natural can be made. Sutures placed during surgery will either dissolve or you will need to return to your Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon to have them removed.

Over the next few months, the dental implants will fuse with the jawbone through the osseointegration process. Unless you are a candidate for immediate provisionalization, no crowns or prostheses will be attached to the implants during this period.

Post-Surgical Side Effects

As with any surgical procedure, certain side effects or complications are possible following dental implant surgery. Your Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon will answer any questions you have about the following:

1. Swelling is normal with any surgical procedure and should peak within 48 to 72 hours, before gradually subsiding. If swelling worsens after 72 hours, contact your surgeon.

2. Bruising occasionally develops near the surgical site and should disappear within several days following surgery.

3. Mild to moderate discomfort may be experienced for 24 to 72 hours after surgery, and pain medication may be required. If intense pain persists that cannot be relieved by prescribed pain medication, contact your surgeon.

4. Stiffness of the jaw muscles may be caused by swelling following surgery. As the swelling decreases, stiffness should disappear.

5. Infection is very rare following implant surgery, but may occur occasionally. If fever, persistent swelling, pain or drainage develops, contact your surgeon immediately.

6. Numbness or a tingling sensation in the lower lip, tongue, cheek, chin, gums or teeth is rare but can occur if implants are placed in the lower jaw and a nearby nerve is irritated. Typically this is temporary, although in very rare cases it can be permanent.

7. Sinus complications, such as drainage or pain, are rare but may occur if implants are placed in the upper jaw adjacent to the sinus. Sinus symptoms should be reported to your surgeon.

8. Bleeding may occur following surgery, but should be easily controlled and consist of occasional oozing during the first 24 to 48 hours. In the rare instance that bleeding is excessive or prolonged, contact your surgeon immediately.

9. TMJ (Jaw Joint) pain or abnormal function is rare following implant surgery, but may occur. If it does, further treatment may be necessary.

10. Bone loss is rare, but may occur around the implant if proper hygiene is not maintained or if excessive stress is placed on the implant.

11. Jaw fracture - In very rare cases, implant surgery in the lower jaw may temporarily weaken the jawbone, resulting in a fracture, particularly if the jaw is thin. Your Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon can treat the problem.

Although rare, there is always a possibility that an implant may fail. This may be caused by a number of factors, including the failure of the implant to fuse with the bone, inadequate cleaning or maintenance by the patient, too much mechanical stress on the implant, or by smoking tobacco or excessive alcohol consumption.