After implant placement or bone grafting
These are general instructions. If your surgeon told you something different, follow your surgeon.
The first 24 hours
- Bite firmly on the gauze for 30–60 minutes.
- Do not rinse, spit or drink through a straw.
- Apply an ice pack to the face: 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off.
- Eat soft, cool food and chew on the other side of your mouth.
- Do not smoke — smoking is the leading cause of implant and graft failure.
From the second day
- Rinse gently with warm salt water or the prescribed mouthwash.
- Do not touch the area with your tongue or finger.
- Do not wear a removable denture over the area until the surgeon allows it.
- A few small graft granules coming out in the first days is normal.
- Stitches are usually removed after 7–14 days — make sure you attend the review.
Call the clinic straight away if
- Bleeding that does not stop after an hour of pressure on gauze
- A temperature above 38°C
- Swelling that keeps increasing after the third day
- Difficulty swallowing or breathing — go to the emergency department
- The implant feels loose or moves
- Numbness of the lip, chin or tongue that remains after the anaesthetic has worn off