The Fine Art of Beautiful, Healthy Smiles!

After Care Instructions for Oral Surgery (Tooth Extractions/Implant Surgery)

WOUND CARE

• Bite firmly on gauze until you arrive home, then remove it gently. Replace with new wet gauze. Keep biting on the gauze for at least 2 hours or until bleeding stops, replacing gauze when needed.

• DO NOT SMOKE for 7 days because this will promote bleeding, infection and interfere with healing.

BLEEDING

• Some blood may ooze from the area of surgery, which is normal. You may find a bloodstain on your pillow in the morning.

• DO NOT SPIT forcefully or suck through a straw, since this promotes bleeding.

• If bleeding begins again, place a damp tea bag directly over the tooth socket and bite firmly for an hour.

DISCOMFORT

• Some discomfort is normal after surgery but can be controlled by medication prescribed by the dentist.

Follow the prescription as advised by your dentist and the directions written on the container.

DIET

• It is important to drink a large volume of fluids. Eat regular meals as soon as possible after surgery.

Soft foods such as pudding, yogurt, ice cream, mashed potatoes or scrambled eggs may be the most comfortable the first few days.

ORAL HYGIENE

• DO NOT RINSE VIGOROUSLY as it may interfere with blood clot formation, which is vital to the healing process.

• Brush your teeth gently, but avoid the area of surgery.

SWELLING

• Swelling after surgery is normal body reaction. It reaches its maximum about 48 hours after surgery and usually lasts 4-6 days.

• Applying ice packs over the area of surgery for the first 24 hours (1/2 hour on, 1/2 hour off) helps to control the swelling.

REST

• Avoid strenuous activities for 24 hours after surgery.

BRUISING

• You may experience some mild bruising in the area of your surgery. This response is normal for some people and should not cause you any alarm. It will disappear in a week or two.

STIFFNESS

• After surgery you may experience jaw muscle stiffness and limited opening of your mouth, this is normal and should improve in 5 to 10 days.

STITCHES

• If stitches have been placed, they may need to be removed in two weeks.

After Care Instructions for Dentures

• New dentures may feel awkward for a few weeks until you become accustomed to them. You will learn to use the muscles of your cheek and tongue to keep them in place

• Saliva flow may increase temporarily. As your mouth becomes accustomed to the dentures, these problems should diminish.

• It is not unusual to experience minor irritation or soreness. One or more follow-up appointments are generally needed after a denture is inserted.

Eating with your denture

• Eating will take a little practice. Start with soft foods cut into small pieces. Chew slowly using both sides of your mouth at the same time to prevent the dentures from tipping. As you become accustomed to chewing, add other foods until you return to your normal diet.

Speaking with your denture

• Pronouncing certain words may require practice. Reading out loud and repeating troublesome words will help.

Leaving your denture out at night

• During the first few days, you may be advised to wear them most of the time, including while you sleep. After the initial adjustment period, you may be instructed to remove the dentures before going to bed. This allows gum tissues to rest and promotes oral health. Generally, it is not desirable that the tissues be constantly covered by denture material.

Using denture adhesive

• Denture adhesive can provide additional retention for well-fitting dentures.

• Denture adhesives are not the solution for old, ill-fitting dentures. A poorly fitting denture may contribute to the development of sores. These dentures may need a reline or need to be replaced.

Caring for your dentures

• Dentures are very delicate and may break if dropped even a few inches.

• Stand over a folded towel or a basin of water when handling dentures. When you are not

wearing them, store your dentures away from children and pets.

• Like natural teeth, dentures must be brushed daily to remove food deposits and plaque. Brushing helps prevent dentures from becoming permanently stained and helps your mouth stay healthy.

• A toothbrush with soft bristles can also be used. Avoid using hard-bristled brushes that can damage dentures.

• Some denture wearers use hand soap or mild dishwashing liquid, which are both acceptable for cleaning dentures. Avoid using other powdered household cleansers, which may be too abrasive. Also, avoid using bleach, as this may whiten the pink portion of the denture.

• When they are not worn, dentures should be placed in a denture cleanser soaking solution or in water.

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Dental implant surgery is an outpatient procedure that is performed in multiple stages. This is a much more advanced alternative to partial or full dentures. These implants are different from traditional dentures in that they are fixed to the jaw bone. Unlike traditional removable dentures, they are permanently fixed and cannot be removed. No regular adjustment or realignment is required.

The Preferred Dental Procedure

Today, tooth implant surgery is very common and many dentists and prosthodontists are qualified to perform it. Irrevocably damaged or decayed teeth can be replaced with permanent alternatives and they look very much like natural teeth. Here is the procedure that is followed in tooth implants:

• The damaged tooth or teeth are first extracted

• The jawbone is then prepared for surgery. Depending on the condition of the underlying bond, bone-grafting may be necessitated. In this case, the procedure will take longer than usual.

• A titanium screw or post in placed in the hole that has been drilled into the jaw bone. This is then allowed to heal completely for a couple of months.

• The dentist will check if the wound had healed and will then affix the crown on the screw.

This entire procedure takes around two to three months. The healing itself takes a couple of months and the bone and tissue has to re-grow around this newly added structure. The condition of the jaw bone has to be good for the implant to be possible and successful. A weak bone base will not be able to withstand the pressure that the chewing motion of the mouth exerts.

The Latest in Dental Medicine

The one reason why many people hesitate to opt for this procedure is the time that is required for the implant to be accepted and the wound to heal. In rare cases this new addition may be rejected. But modern medicine has found a solution for that too. Platelet Rich Plasma or Plasma Rich Plasma is extracted from the patient’s own blood. This is then used to hasten the healing process.

The bone grows faster and the wound heals quicker. There are very little chances of rejection as the plasma is acquired from the patient’s own body. This procedure is used in sports medicine and orthopedics very successfully. It uses the natural healing properties of the body to heal the wound that is created by the dental implant and is definitely a significant advancement in the field of dentistry.

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Going to the dentist has an unfortunate reputation for most people. When the average American thinks about a dental visit, they think about an uncomfortable cleaning process or a painful root canal. While these are necessary parts of maintaining healthy teeth and gums, the world of dental technology has advanced dramatically in the last few years. If you’ve been avoiding the dentist like the plague, or even if you only check in every six months for a cleaning, you may be totally unaware of all the options that are available to help brighten your smile.

Bye Bye Braces

Crooked teeth have been the bane of middle and high school students for generations. Braces are not only uncomfortable, but they stand out at a time in a child’s life when all they want to do is fit in. It is even more difficult for an adult to get away with braces and not feel ostracized in their workplace. While serious cases of crooked teeth will always need serious assistance, the average misaligned smile can be fixed with a pair of clear aligners. These invisible products slide over the teeth, and subtly adjust them over time, much in the same way an obtrusive set of braces would, without any of the pre-existing stigma.

Somewhere near you there is a cosmetic dentist whose trained to offer you clear aligners without you needing to make the long term investment in an expensive set of braces. Talk to your dentist and find out if your smile can benefit from a slight, discreet adjustment.

Dentures For Everyone

Elderly people aren’t the only ones who lose their teeth. Diseases, accidents, and chemicals can all cause teeth to leave the mouth before their time. Missing teeth are a serious problem on two fronts for people of all ages. First, no one looks good with holes in their smile. It will affect how you smile when meeting new people, how you stand for photographs, and your self-confidence in general. Second, your mouth was designed to use all your teeth. Missing a molar or canine can make chewing much more difficult and even painful in some cases.

While there is still a stigma of agedness attached to using dentures, the technology has come a long way. You likely interact with people every day without a single real tooth in their head, and you’d never know unless they told you. Color matching has advanced so much that you can remove entire sections of your real teeth and replace them with partial dentures that look perfectly identical. If you have trouble eating most solid foods, or just want to be able to smile properly for Christmas cards again, it may be time to get rid of the old, and start over with a set of dentures.

Cosmetic Dentistry is a growing field that most offices will be able to provide in some capacity. Whether you’re looking to whiten your smile, or replace it all together, contact your local dentist and find out what they can do to change the way you look at going to the dentist!

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