After Surgery
Post-Operative Instructions
Caring for yourself properly after oral surgery helps you heal faster and more comfortably. Please review these instructions and call our office at 760-837-1515 with any questions.
Introduction
Caring for Yourself After Oral Surgery
The instructions below apply to most procedures performed at Desert Maxillofacial Center. Procedure-specific guidance follows the general instructions. Any written or verbal instructions given to you by Dr. Erondu or our team take priority over the information on this page.
Some discomfort, swelling, and minor bleeding are normal after oral surgery. Most patients feel noticeably better within a few days. Following these instructions closely will help you avoid complications and support a smooth recovery.
General Instructions
General Post-Operative Instructions
Immediately After Surgery
- Keep the gauze pack in place over the surgical site with firm biting pressure for 30 to 45 minutes after you leave the office.
- Do not disturb the surgical area. Avoid touching it with your fingers or tongue.
- Do not rinse vigorously, spit, use a straw, or smoke for the first 24 hours. These actions can dislodge the blood clot and delay healing.
- If you received IV sedation, rest for the remainder of the day and do not drive or make important decisions for 24 hours.
Bleeding
Some oozing or blood-tinged saliva is normal for the first 24 hours. If bleeding continues, place a fresh, folded gauze pad directly over the surgical site and bite firmly for 30 to 45 minutes. Repeat as needed.
If bleeding persists, bite on a moistened black tea bag for 30 minutes. The tannic acid in tea helps form a clot. Sit upright, stay calm, and avoid activity. If heavy bleeding continues after these steps, call our office.
Swelling
Swelling around the mouth, cheeks, eyes, and jaw is a normal response to surgery. It usually peaks 48 to 72 hours after the procedure and then gradually improves.
- Apply an ice pack to the outside of your face over the surgical area for 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off during the first 24 to 48 hours.
- After 48 hours, switch to moist heat (a warm, damp washcloth) to help reduce stiffness and remaining swelling.
- Keep your head elevated with extra pillows while resting for the first few days.
Pain Management
Take your pain medication as directed, ideally before the local anesthetic wears off. For mild to moderate discomfort, over-the-counter ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) may be recommended. If a prescription pain medication has been provided, take it only as directed and do not combine it with alcohol.
Prescription pain medication can cause drowsiness. Do not drive or operate machinery while taking it. If you experience nausea, itching, a rash, or another reaction to any medication, stop taking it and call our office.
Antibiotics
If an antibiotic has been prescribed, take the full course as directed, even if you feel better. Call our office if you develop a rash or another unfavorable reaction. Antibiotics may reduce the effectiveness of birth control pills; use an additional method of contraception for the remainder of your cycle.
Diet
- Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. Do not use a straw.
- Begin with cool, soft foods such as yogurt, applesauce, pudding, smoothies, mashed potatoes, and lukewarm soup.
- Avoid hot foods and drinks for the first 24 hours.
- Avoid hard, crunchy, sticky, spicy, or small-grained foods (nuts, seeds, popcorn, chips, rice) that could irritate or become lodged in the surgical site.
- Gradually return to a normal diet as comfort allows, usually over several days.
- Do not skip meals. Eating regularly helps you feel better, regain strength, and heal faster.
Oral Hygiene
- Do not rinse or brush near the surgical site for the first 24 hours.
- Beginning the day after surgery, gently rinse with warm salt water (one-half teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of warm water) after meals and before bed. Let the water fall out of your mouth rather than spitting forcefully.
- Resume gentle tooth brushing the day after surgery, avoiding the surgical area for the first several days.
- If a prescription mouth rinse was provided, use it as directed.
Activity
Rest for the remainder of the day of surgery. Limit physical activity for the first two to three days, since exercise can increase bleeding, swelling, and discomfort. Gradually return to normal activity as you feel comfortable, keeping in mind that your caloric intake is reduced and you may feel weaker than usual.
Smoking and Alcohol
Do not smoke or use nicotine products for at least 72 hours after surgery, and preferably longer. Smoking significantly increases the risk of dry socket, infection, and delayed healing. Avoid alcohol while taking prescription pain medication.
Sutures
Sutures may be placed to help control bleeding and support healing. Most sutures used in our office dissolve on their own within several days to two weeks. If a suture becomes loose or falls out early, this is usually not a concern. If non-dissolving sutures were placed, they will be removed at your follow-up visit.
Other Normal Findings
- Bruising or discoloration of the skin near the surgical site may appear two to three days after surgery and is a normal part of healing.
- Jaw stiffness and limited mouth opening are common for several days. Gentle stretching and moist heat can help.
- A slight fever the evening of surgery is not unusual. If a fever persists or rises, call our office.
- The corners of the mouth may become dry or cracked. Keep the lips moist with a lip balm or ointment.
- Small, sharp fragments of bone may occasionally work their way to the surface of the gum during healing. These are not roots and usually resolve on their own. Call our office if they cause concern.
- Numbness of the lip, chin, or tongue can occur after some procedures and typically resolves over time. Take care not to bite your lip or tongue while numb.
Wisdom Teeth Removal
After Wisdom Teeth Removal
Follow all of the general instructions above. In addition, please note the following:
- Swelling and stiffness are common after wisdom teeth removal and usually peak on the second or third day. Ice packs during the first 48 hours and moist heat afterward can help.
- Avoid using straws, spitting, smoking, and vigorous rinsing for at least 72 hours to protect the blood clot.
- Dry socket is a condition that occurs when the blood clot is lost from the extraction site, exposing the bone. Symptoms include a dull, throbbing pain that begins three to five days after surgery, often radiating toward the ear, and sometimes a bad taste or odor. Dry socket is treatable; call our office if you notice these symptoms.
- If you were given an irrigating syringe, begin using it on the fifth day after surgery to gently flush food debris from the lower sockets after meals. Continue until the sockets have closed.
- Most patients return to school or work within two to four days, depending on the complexity of the surgery.
Tooth Extractions
After Tooth Extractions
Follow all of the general instructions above. In addition, please note the following:
- Keep firm biting pressure on the gauze for 30 to 45 minutes after surgery and replace it as needed until oozing subsides.
- Do not disturb the extraction site. The blood clot that forms in the socket is essential for healing.
- If multiple teeth were removed, expect more swelling and a longer healing period than after a single extraction.
- If an immediate denture was placed, do not remove it for the first 24 hours unless bleeding is severe. Your dentist will adjust it as your gums heal.
- If you are planning a dental implant or other tooth replacement, ask our team about the recommended timing for the next step.
Dental Implants
After Dental Implant Surgery
Follow all of the general instructions above. In addition, please note the following:
- Do not disturb the implant site. Avoid touching it with your tongue, fingers, or toothbrush during the first several days.
- If a healing cap or abutment is visible above the gum, this is normal. Do not attempt to remove or loosen it.
- Do not wear a temporary denture, partial, or flipper over the surgical site until it has been adjusted and approved by our office or your dentist. Pressure on the implant during early healing can affect its success.
- Stay on a soft diet and avoid chewing directly on the implant site for the time recommended by our team, often several weeks.
- Beginning the day after surgery, gently rinse with warm salt water or the prescribed mouth rinse to keep the area clean.
- Do not smoke. Smoking is one of the leading causes of implant failure.
- Follow-up visits are important so we can monitor healing and confirm when the implant is ready for the final restoration.
Bone Grafting
After Bone Grafting
Follow all of the general instructions above. In addition, please note the following:
- It is normal to notice small granules of graft material in your mouth during the first several days. Do not be alarmed; some loss of granules does not affect the overall result.
- Do not disturb or apply pressure to the graft site. Avoid pulling your lip or cheek to look at the area, which can loosen sutures and disturb the graft.
- Do not rinse vigorously or spit for the first 24 hours. Afterward, rinse gently with warm salt water or the prescribed rinse.
- Do not wear a partial denture or flipper over the graft site until approved by our office.
- If a sinus lift was performed, do not blow your nose or sneeze with your mouth closed for at least two weeks. Sneeze with your mouth open, avoid drinking through a straw, and take any prescribed decongestant or antibiotic as directed.
- A soft diet is recommended for the first one to two weeks. Avoid chewing on the grafted side.
- Bone grafts take several months to mature. Follow-up imaging will confirm when the site is ready for implant placement.
Corrective Jaw Surgery
After Corrective Jaw Surgery
Corrective jaw surgery (orthognathic surgery) involves a longer recovery than most office-based procedures. You will receive detailed written instructions specific to your case. General guidance includes:
- Swelling is significant after jaw surgery and may take several weeks to resolve. Keep your head elevated, use ice for the first 48 to 72 hours, and follow your medication schedule closely.
- If elastics (rubber bands) have been placed to guide your bite, wear them exactly as instructed and do not remove them unless directed by Dr. Erondu.
- Follow a liquid diet, then a soft, no-chew diet, for the period recommended by our team, usually six weeks or longer. Do not chew until cleared to do so.
- Keep your mouth clean by gently brushing with a small, soft toothbrush and rinsing with warm salt water or the prescribed rinse after every meal.
- Numbness of the lips, chin, cheeks, or gums is expected after jaw surgery and usually improves gradually over weeks to months.
- Avoid strenuous activity, contact sports, and heavy lifting until cleared by our office.
- Attend all scheduled follow-up visits with both our office and your orthodontist.
When to Call
When to Call Our Office
Most concerns after surgery are normal and improve with time. However, please call our office at 760-837-1515 if you experience any of the following:
- Bleeding that does not stop after 30 to 45 minutes of firm gauze pressure, repeated twice
- Swelling that continues to increase after the third day
- Fever of 101°F or higher
- Severe pain that is not controlled by your prescribed medication
- Pain that begins or worsens three to five days after surgery
- Difficulty swallowing or opening your mouth that worsens over time
- Persistent nausea or vomiting
- Rash, itching, or another reaction to a medication
- Numbness that persists beyond what you were told to expect
- Any concern that does not seem normal to you
For after-hours concerns, call our office number and follow the instructions to reach the on-call surgeon.
If you experience difficulty breathing, uncontrolled bleeding, chest pain, or another life-threatening emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Follow-Up
Your Follow-Up Appointment
Follow-up visits allow our team to check your healing, remove any non-dissolving sutures, and answer questions. If a follow-up appointment was not scheduled before you left the office, please call 760-837-1515 to arrange one.
Helpful Patient Links
Helpful Patient Resources
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Questions About Your Recovery?
Our team is here to support you throughout your recovery. Call Desert Maxillofacial Center in Rancho Mirage at 760-837-1515 with any questions or concerns after your procedure.