Implant/Bone Grafting Post-Op Instructions

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Start GENTLY rinsing after the first 24 HOURS. Imagine that there is a small boat in your mouth and that you are gently rocking it back and forth while rinsing and not swishing so forcefully that you capsize the boat. If you were given a prescription for a special rinse, start using it 24 hours after surgery, at least twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Rinsing after every meal is also recommended.
Follow a soft food diet (avoiding hard, crunchy, or sticky foods like chips, nuts, or popcorn) for 5 to 7 days. Avoid chewing on the side that the implant (and/or bone graft) was placed for at least 3-4 weeks.
If you have a denture/flipper or prosthetic device, do not use it to chew until you have been instructed to do so.
SUTURE Care: Some sutures are dissolvable; others need to be removed during your follow up visit.
If you had bone grafting completed, you might notice small particles of the graft coming out over the days and even weeks after your surgery. THIS IS NORMAL! Please do not assume that these are food particles and try to clean them out with vigorous rinsing or a Waterpik device.
DO NOT smoke for at least 7 days (preferably 2 weeks) after surgery as it is detrimental to the healing process. Quitting smoking altogether would be most ideal as it has been proven to cause implants and bone grafts to fail at a much higher rate than non-smokers.

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