Your First 24 Hours Post-Surgery

In most cases, in-house sedation or general anesthesia is used during your procedure to allow you to sleep comfortably. You should expect to feel very tired for the remainder of that day and resting as much as you can is very important. You may notice a small amount of bleeding near the surgical sight, which is normal. Dr. Syed will most likely place gauze in the area, which can be removed a couple hours after surgery. Similar to the instructions following a tooth extraction, soft foods are advised and avoid drinking through a straw. You may experience slight pain once the anesthesia wears off. This can typically be managed with anti-inflammatory pain medication such as ibuprofen.

Your First Few Days

Mild swelling and bruising of the face is very common in the days following dental implant surgery. Applying an ice pack to that side of your face will help alleviate any inflammation. Soft foods are still recommended for a few more days, as well as avoiding drinking through a straw. Also, limit your physical activity as much as possible to prevent increased blood pressure and increased blood flow to the surgical site.

10-14 Days After Your Surgery

Within a week following your dental implant placement, you should be able to eat most all foods, swelling and bruising has nearly disappeared and low impact exercises can be done.

You may also have a post op visit with Dr. Syed to remove any sutures placed, although dissolvable sutures are often used.

After two weeks, you should be feeling back to normal and enjoying the foods you love. Your implant is fusing to your bone and gum tissue has completely healed. Once they’re fully integrated, you’ll return to Lebanon Dental Center to have your fixed restoration attached into place. Call our Lebanon, NH implant dentist for more information.