Aftercare for the patients receiving any surgical procedures, including dental implants, bone grafts, sinus augmentation, etc.
Preparing for surgery
- Any surgical dental approach is often performed as an outpatient procedure. This means that you go home the same day. You’ll receive instructions from the hospital or dental clinic staff on what to do before the surgery and the day of your scheduled surgery.
- On the day before the surgery, rinse 3 times with antimicrobial mouthwash (Corsodyl) to reduce the number of bacteria in your mouth.
- To optimize anaesthetic drugs’ efficiency, you should have something light to eat before your surgery.
- For your own wellbeing, please wear comfortable clothes on the day of surgery.
- Please do not wear heavy jewellery, make-up or nail varnish.
- It is advisable to go to the toilet before the start of the operation.
- You don’t need to bring an escort, but you may do so if you would like to bring someone with you.
Special Pre-operative information & care
- Should you develop a cold before your appointment, please contact us for advice.
- When you have had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic in the past, please inform the dentist.
- Before the surgery, you may be asked to take an antibiotic (e.g., Amoxicillin, Augmentin) to be taken one hour before the surgical procedure and, if indicated, continue for a period of one week.
- To maintain and operate within a sterile environment, you will receive a gown to put over your clothing, a covering over your head with a slit that you can see out through. We will also wash your face and cover your face and body with sterile sheets. Try to remain still throughout your operation.
- Water or anaesthesia may run at the back of your throat, but we will constantly suction this away.
- It is necessary to drill (and/or tap) during the implant placement, which you notice as vibrations or noise.
Special Post-operative information & care
Two weeks of the healing time is expected for the soft tissue integration and maturation. During the first stage of healing, please:
- Following your operation, you will receive an analgesic (pain-relieving) medication (e.g., Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, Co-Codamol, Co-Dydramol). Please follow the instruction given for prescription or the consumption of mediation. These should be taken at 6-hour intervals. It would be best if you considered that your driving ability might be impaired.
- You may be advised to take the antibiotic over the next 3-10 days.
- Female patients must be aware that oral penicillin (antibiotics) can severely reduce oral contraceptives’ effectiveness.
- Rinse 3 times a day with Corsodyl 0.2% or Eludril mouthwash (Antimicrobial agent) and Gingigel (Accelerate healing) mouth wash or gel.
- It would be best if you abstained from eating before the effect of local anaesthetic has disappeared. Hard and hot food can disturb the stability and wound integration at the surgical site.
- Before and after the surgery, it is strongly recommended not to use tobacco in any form, e.g. cigarettes, cigars, pipes: or to drink alcohol to influence blood circulation negatively and wound healing. The consumption of nicotine for 1 week prior and 8 weeks after the surgery is not advised.
- Please avoid any stressful mental activity or strenuous physical activities after the operation, e.g. interviews, giving lectures, sports, or going on holidays.
- Please do not drink very hot or very cold drinks on that day.
- Only liquid food may be consumed during the first day to avoid inadvertent food particles contaminating the wound. Semi-liquid (mashed) food may be added to the diet during the rest of the week. If you have some natural teeth and eating is not a problem, soft food can be eaten but not over the implant area. Thereafter, avoid chewing on this side for at least one month as there should be no pressure around the operation site.
- Normal tooth brushing can injure the surgical site during the early phase of the healing. After the operation, you can begin by rinsing after meals with a mouthwash solution and only brushing in the unaffected areas.
- Some minor local bleeding may occur on the first day. Please try to avoid excessive spitting so that you don’t dislodge the blood clot from the socket.
- Mild swelling of the surgical site between 48 to 72 hours after the operation is normal.
- Should any oozing occur in the operated jaw, it may usually be stopped by softly biting for 15 minutes on a roll of gauze dressing soaked in a saltwater solution. Soft compression is the best method to stop bleeding, while rinsing should be avoided. If the bleeding does not stop by doing so, please contact us on the emergency numbers.
- The wound should be left alone. Avoid touching the wound with fingers, handkerchief, etc.
- If possible, please use an extra pillow during the first nights after the operation.
- Old dentures may not be worn until adjustments have been made. Insertion of dentures too early will delay or disrupt the ideal healing with irreversible tissue damage as a result.
- Attend for healing control and suture removal within the next 3 and 10 days.
- Refer to your dentist in case of the persistent sensation of discomfort.
Anaesthesia
American Society of Anesthesiologists
Your dentist or oral surgeon may use three types of anaesthesia, depending on the expected complexity of the wisdom tooth extraction and your comfort level. Options include:
- Local anaesthesia may be administered with one or more injections near the site of each operation. You’re awake during the tooth extraction. Although you’ll feel some pressure and movement, you shouldn’t experience pain.
- Sedation anaesthesia or conscious sedation through an intravenous (IV) line may be administered in your arm to suppresses your consciousness during the procedure. You don’t feel any pain and will have limited memory of the procedure, although you will maintain your verbal response. You’ll also receive local anaesthesia to numb your gums.
- General anaesthesia may be the most appropriate anaesthetic strategy in special situations. You may inhale medication through your nose or have an IV line in your arm, or both. Then you lose consciousness. Your surgical team closely monitors your medication, breathing, temperature, fluids, and blood pressure. You’ll experience no pain and have no memory of the procedure. Local anaesthesia is also given to help with postoperative discomfort.
Post-operative care for Oral/ Intravenous Sedation and General Anaesthesia
- Following the course of Relative/General Anaesthesia, you’re taken to a recovery room. A responsible adult who can escort you home must accompany you.
- After surgery, you should rest in the recovery room for 30-60 min, before leaving.
- Please avoid strenuous physical activities after the operation, e.g. sports, going on holidays, driving a motor vehicle, riding a bicycle, manoeuvring machinery.
- Please avoid mental activities, interviews, giving lectures, internet activities, signing any legal and/ or binding documents.
- Please avoid drinking alcohol or taking sedative drugs without medical advice.
Emergency contact:
Between the hours of 08.00 and 17.00, please call Reception on 0207. (Please do not leave a message, but re-try)
Out of routine practice hours, please call the surgeon-on-Call on xxxxxxxx, and if not accessible, please text message ASAP. If all these efforts are unsuccessful, please contact or attend ROYAL LONDON DENTAL HOSPITAL at the White chapel on 02077673203.
