Day-by-day care
Bleeding
You may leave the office biting on gauze; keep gentle pressure for at least 30 minutes without changing it, then remove it. A little blood in your saliva can look dramatic — that’s normal for the rest of the day.
Smoking
Stop after surgery. Cigarette chemicals — and the suction of inhaling — significantly reduce healing and long-term implant success, and smokers face more painful post-operative complications.
Pain
Some discomfort is normal. Take your medications as prescribed, starting before the anesthetic wears off and before bedtime. Don’t exceed labeled doses; food or milk reduces stomach upset. No driving on prescription pain medication, and no alcohol with it.
Nausea
Usually caused by pain medication on an empty stomach — take medications with water and food.
Swelling
Ice the side of your face over the surgical area: 10 minutes on, 15 minutes off, through the first day.
Numbness
Local anesthetic keeps you numb for several hours — don’t bite, chew, pinch, or scratch the numb area. Occasionally surgery causes residual numbness or tingling for six weeks or longer.
Brushing
Don’t brush for the first 8 hours; then brush gently, avoiding the surgical site itself.
Diet
Soft foods for the first two days, then a balanced soft diet for the first 6–8 weeks while your implants integrate with your bone. No forceful biting or crunching at the implant sites. Drink plenty of water. No alcohol for 48 hours.
Activity
Rest for the remainder of surgery day — lower blood pressure means less bleeding and better healing. A responsible adult should stay with you for 8 hours after IV sedation.
Antibiotics
Finish all antibiotic pills as directed, until they are gone.
Birth control note
Some antibiotics can reduce the effectiveness of birth control pills — use an alternate method for two months.