Pre and Post-Operative
Instructions

After wisdom tooth removal, recovery symptoms and duration can vary. On average, soreness and swelling of the region is expected for approximately 3 days following the procedure. The first 3 days is usually when patients may feel the most swelling, soreness, or bruising, but this typically starts to decrease after day 3. Most patients are back to normal within 1 week of the procedure.

After your procedure, the surgeon may prescribe pain medication depending on the complexity of the removal or the number of wisdom teeth extracted at once. In some minor cases, Advil or Tylenol is sufficient to manage the pain and discomfort.

In terms of diet, we recommend softer foods the first 3 days, after which you can start to introduce more regular meals depending on your comfort level.

During your recovery period, in the rare event that you feel like you are experiencing a complication or infection, please call our office and we can evaluate your condition and advise on best way to proceed. Rest assured that our experienced staff will try to make your wisdom tooth removal as comfortable as possible!

After dental implant placement, recovery symptoms and duration can vary based on complexity of the surgery, number and location of implants placed, your dental and medical history, etc. However, many patients state that their recovery is less painful and quicker than the extraction of the original tooth. On average, soreness and swelling of the region is expected for approximately 1-2 days following the procedure. Most patients are back to normal within 4 days of the procedure.

After your procedure, the surgeon may prescribe pain medication depending on the complexity of the dental implant surgery or the number of implants placed at once. In some minor cases, Advil or Tylenol is sufficient to manage the pain and discomfort. During the recovery period, we can ask your dentist to fabricate a temporary denture, or “flipper” that you can wear to maintain the aesthetics of your smile and function of the missing tooth. Your surgeon will review the options with you prior to the procedure so that the temporary denture is ready for you in time for the surgery.

In terms of diet, we recommend softer foods the first 1-2 days. After this, you can start to introduce more regular meals depending on your comfort level. Sharper foods that may re-open or aggravate the surgical site should be avoided (such as chips or nachos). We recommend keeping the area clean with proper oral hygiene until your dentist has inserted your crown to prevent infection or accidental re-opening of the surgical site.

During your recovery period, in the rare event that you feel like you are experiencing a complication or infection, please call our office and we can evaluate your condition and advise on the best way to proceed. Rest assured that our experienced staff will try to make your dental implant experience as comfortable as possible!

Although corrective jaw surgery can produce dramatic results, it is often less painful than most patients expect. The reason for this is after surgery your face will feel numb in your upper and lower jaws, lips, and chin. This is because during the surgery we push the nerves out of the way to allow us to move the jaws into their correct position. This causes your face to feel numb and significantly reduces the amount of discomfort post-operatively. Many patients only take Advil or Tylenol a few days after the surgery.

Prior to surgery we will provide you detailed post-operative instructions regarding your diet, daily activity levels, and any prescription medications that you will be given. You will also have the opportunity to ask us any questions about these during your consultation and before the surgery.

Although you will be able to speak, swallow, and drink normally after surgery, we use elastics to help settle your bite and guide your jaws into their new position. You will have regular follow-ups at our office to ensure you have a smooth transition from surgery to returning to normal activity.

After receiving a bone graft, some soreness of the region is expected for approximately 3-4 days following the procedure. Most patients are back to normal within 4 days of the procedure.

For pain management, the surgeon may prescribe medications after your surgery depending on the complexity and size of the region where the bone graft was placed. In some minor cases, Advil or Tylenol can manage pain.

We recommend that you follow a soft diet to allow the new graft time to stabilize and heal. Sharper foods that may re-open or aggravate the surgical site should be avoided (such as chips or nachos). In addition, it is imperative to perform diligent oral hygiene to help prevent an infection from settling in which can damage the grafted bone. Our team will discuss all post-operative instructions with you after the procedure and answer any questions you may have.

After impacted canine/tooth surgery, a limited amount of bleeding from the surgical sites is expected. Although you may experience some soreness, most patients find Advil or Tylenol for 2-3 days after the surgery to be sufficient for pain management. Patients may see some swelling around the lips from holding the mouth open during the surgery, for which we recommend the use of ice packs for a couple of hours (on and off) after surgery.

In terms of diet, we recommend softer foods the first 2 days, after which you can start to introduce more regular meals depending on your comfort level. Sharper foods that may re-open or aggravate the surgical site should be avoided (such as chips or nachos).

You should plan to see your orthodontist within 7-14 days to activate the eruption process by applying the proper rubber band to the chain on your tooth. Your surgeon can be contacted at the office during office hours or can be paged after hours if you have any complications after surgery.

After a tooth extraction, it is normal to experience soreness, swelling, and sometimes bruising in the area of tooth extraction for on average 3 days following the procedure. After this time, the swelling and soreness tends to decrease, and most patients feel fully back to normal after approximately 1 week.

In most cases, Advil or Tylenol is sufficient pain management for the procedure. If you experience more severe pain, your surgeon will assess the need for prescription medications.

We recommend that you follow a soft diet for 1-2 days to allow extraction site to heal. Sharper foods that may agitate the site should be avoided (such as chips or nachos).