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POST-OP INSTRUCTIONS General•Family•Emergency (317)784-5555 POST-OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXTRACTIONS Surgery of any kind places a stress on your body. Get adequate rest and avoid strenuous activity for a few days following your procedure. Swelling, discomfort, and restricted jaw function are expected, and so need not cause alarm. These may be minimized by the following instructions. Please read them carefully. It is strongly urged that they be followed. 1. Bleeding: Apply constant firm pressure on the gauze over the surgical site. This acts as a pressure dressing to control any active bleeding. A mild oozing of blood is normal for the first few days. If bleeding is excessive, place a roll of gauze or a moistened tea bag over the surgical site and bite firmly for 30 minutes with constant pressure. Repeat if necessary. Avoid rinsing, spitting, smoking and drinking through a straw, as all of these will disturb the blood clot and reinitiate bleeding. Assume a semi-upright position, use two pillows in bed. If significant bleeding still continues call the office for advice. Most important, do not smoke for three (3) days to prevent possible dry socket. They are painful to treat. Protect the extraction site. To avoid dislodging the blood clot, don’t drink through a straw, chew gum, or spit for a few days. 2. Swelling: Swelling and bruising are normal reactions to surgery, and vary from patient to patient and from one surgery to another. Application of ice to the surgical sites during the first 24 hours helps reduce the amount of swelling. Use the ice packs 20 minutes’ on/20 minutes off or alternate from side to side every 20 minutes. After the first 24 hours, the ice will not have much effect on swelling, but may make the surgical site feel better. Swelling usually reaches it maximum about 48 – 72 hours after surgery. It is not unusual to have difficulty opening the mouth due to post-operative swelling in the muscles. This should resolve on it own with time. Application of moist heat 4 to 6 times per day to the surgical sites beginning 72 hours after surgery increases the local blood circulation and helps to take away swelling. Do not apply heat until 3 days after surgery unless the doctor tells you otherwise. Bruising typically resolves on its own. 3. Infection: Most oral surgical procedures in healthy patients have a low risk of developing an infection. If the doctor felt that you were at an increased risk of infection because of your general health or the nature of the procedure, you will be placed on an antibiotic medication. It is important that you follow the directions on the label and take the medication until it is completely gone. An antibiotic oral rinse may also be prescribed. If you develop hives or a rash, discontinue all medication and contact the office immediately. There may be a slight elevation in temperature for 24 to 48 hours after surgery. This is a normal body response to the surgery. If the temperature persists or is greatly elevated, please notify the office. A post-operative infection usually takes about three days to develop. 4. Pain: After any surgical procedure, swelling and some discomfort are anticipated. This varies considerably from patient to patient, even after identical procedures. This normally reaches its peak 48 to 72 hours after surgery and then starts to decrease. If you have only minor pain, try an over-the-counter drug, such as Advil or Aleve. Avoid aspirin-containing products, as these interfere with blood clotting. If you have been given a prescription for a stronger pain medication, have it filled at a pharmacy convenient for you and take the medication as directed. The pain medication may make you drowsy, so you should not drive a car or perform any important tasks while taking the medication. The pain medication should never be taken on an empty stomach. If you develop hives or a rash, discontinue all medication and contact the office immediately. 5. Nausea: Post-operative nausea is usually due to swallowing a small amount of blood during and/or after surgery. A small amount of carbonated drink, such as 7-up or ginger ale every hour for 5 or 6 hours will usually relieve this feeling. Sometimes pain medications can cause nausea. 6. Diet: A bland liquid diet is recommended for the day of surgery. Following this, soft foods high in vitamins and protein is advised and try drinking vegetable juice, 100% fruit juice, protein drinks or milk. Avoid crunchy foods, which may irritate the surgical site. Resume your normal diet as soon as possible. 7. Oral Hygiene: Do not rinse your mouth for the first 12 hours following surgery. This will loosen the blood clot and reinitiate bleeding. The day following surgery, the mouth should be rinsed gently with warm salt water solution 5 or 6 times a day (after meals and at bedtime.) If you were given an irrigating syringe, use it to gently flush out the extraction site with warm salt water 3-4 times per day, starting 3 days after surgery. You may brush your teeth beginning the day after surgery, but avoid the area of surgery. Smoking is a great irritation to the surgical site. Smoking should be avoided or greatly reduced during the healing period. Your lips may be dry and cracked due to stretching the corners of your mouth during surgery. Your lips should be kept moist with Vaseline or other lip ointments. You may feel a hole where a tooth was removed. This will fill in with normal tissue over the next few months. Sutures may have been used to close the surgical wound. They may be of the type that dissolves. If suture removal is necessary, this will be done at your follow-up visit. It is now appreciated that antibiotics will inactivate most birth control pills. Sexually active women who take birth control pills should use another method of contraception for the remainder of the menstrual cycle if antibiotics are prescribed. Should you have any post-operative problems or questions, do not hesitate to call the office so we may help you.
ROOT CANAL THERAPY It is best to refrain from eating for at least 2 hours and until the anesthesia has worn off to prevent possibly injury to your soft tissue. This will also allow the temporary restorative material to harden. Take any antibiotic medication prescribed to you by the doctor as this will eliminate any remaining infection in the tooth. If you notice any of the following symptoms please contact our office: - Increasing tenderness or swelling in the area surrounding the tooth - A reaction to the medication - Loss of the temporary filling material -Tooth fracture CROWNS AND BRIDGES It is best to refrain from eating for at least 2 hours and until the anesthesia has worn off to prevent possibly injury to your soft tissue. Temporary: Please be careful when cleaning around the temporary restoration. Do not pull up on the temporary when flossing this area. Make sure to brush this area gently and not to chew any hard or sticky foods on the restoration. If your temporary comes off between appointments, please call our office so that we can reapply it for you. In case of emergency, the temporary may be replaced with temporary dental cement purchased from a pharmacy. Sensitivity: Sensitivity to hot and cold is to be expected following treatment. For the first few days, try to avoid extremely hot or cold foods and beverages. It is normal to have discomfort in the gums around the tooth after the anesthesia wears off. If you feel discomfort in the gum tissue, rinse the area with warm salt water. You can also take an Advil or Tylenol if the discomfort persists. Permanent Crown/Bridge: When the final restoration is placed, your bite may feel a little different. This is just your mouth adjusting to the new addition. If your bite still feels off in a few days, please call the office for a slight adjustment. Home Care: It is important to resume regular brushing and flossing immediately. A consistent daily home care routine will increase the longevity of the restoration.
It is best to refrain from eating for at least 2 hours and until the anesthesia has worn off to prevent possibly injury to your soft tissue. Sensitivity: Sensitivity to hot and cold is to be expected following treatment. For the first few days, try to avoid extremely hot or cold foods and beverages. It is normal to have discomfort in the gums around the tooth after the anesthesia wears off. If you feel discomfort in the gum tissue, rinse the area with warm salt water. If after the anesthetic wears off and your bite is "off", please call the office for a slight adjustment. Home Care: It is important to resume regular brushing and flossing immediately. A consistent daily home care routine will increase the longevity of the restoration. SCALING AND ROOT PLANING After your scaling or root planning, it is best to rinse your mouth 2-3 times per day with warm salt water. One teaspoon salt / 8 oz. water. You should start home care immediately, although you should be extremely gentle with the treated areas. If you feel discomfort in the gum tissue where you had treatment, an Advil or Tylenol may be taken to relieve this feeling. The treated areas will probably be sensitive to hot and cold. It is best to refrain from eating any hard or chewy foods for the next 48-72 hours while the treated area begins to heal. You may also experience some swelling or jaw stiffness. If this does occur, you can place a cold compress on the swelling or a hot towel on the stiffness. Smoking should be terminated for a period of 48-72 hours following these procedures. Please contact the office if the pain or swelling persists. PORCELAIN VENEERS (LAMINATES) It is best to refrain from eating for at least 2 hours and until the anesthesia has worn off to prevent possibly injury to your soft tissue. Temporary: Please be careful when cleaning around the temporary restorations. Do not pull up on the temporary when flossing this area. Make sure to brush this area gently and not to chew any hard foods on the restoration. If your temporary comes off between appointments, please call our office so that we can reapply it for you. Sensitivity: Sensitivity to hot and cold is to be expected following treatment. For the first few days, try to avoid extremely hot or cold foods and beverages It is normal to have discomfort in the gums around the tooth after the anesthesia wears off. If you feel discomfort in the gum tissue, rinse the area with warm salt water. You can also take an Advil or Tylenol if the discomfort persists. Permanent Veneers: When the final restoration is placed, your bite may feel a little different. This is just your mouth adjusting to the new addition. If it still feels off in a few days, please call the office for a slight adjustment. Home Care: It is important to resume regular brushing and flossing immediately. It is very important to thoroughly clean the area between the veneer and the tooth at the gumline. A consistent daily home care routine will increase the longevity of the restoration. |
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Emerson Avenue Dental |
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General, Family, Emergency Dentistry |
317-784-5555 |
