Patient guide
After Your Surgery
Recovery is where good surgery pays off. Your written post-operative instructions govern your specific case; this is the general guide patients keep coming back to in the first week.
01
The first 24 hours
- Keep steady pressure on the gauze for 30 to 60 minutes, then change it. Oozing that tints your saliva pink is normal for the first day.
- Ice the outside of your face, 20 minutes on and 20 off, while awake for the first day or two.
- Rest with your head elevated. No driving, alcohol, or important decisions the day of sedation.
- Do not smoke, spit forcefully, or drink through a straw. Suction is the enemy of the blood clot doing your healing.
02
Days two through seven
- Swelling peaks around day two or three and then fades. Bruising along the jaw can appear and is normal.
- Begin gentle warm salt-water rinses the day after surgery, especially after eating.
- Take medication exactly as prescribed. Staying ahead of soreness works better than chasing it.
- Soft foods, advancing as comfort allows. Most patients are near normal eating within a week, longer for larger procedures.
03
Implant and All-on-4 patients
- Expect a soft-food diet for longer while your implants integrate; we will give you the specific timeline for your case.
- Avoid chewing directly on a healing implant site, and keep the area clean exactly as instructed.
- Follow-up visits are scheduled before you leave. Keep them even if everything feels perfect; that is how we make sure it stays that way.
04
Call us if
- Bleeding is heavy or will not slow with pressure.
- Pain gets worse after day three instead of better.
- Swelling spreads, your fever rises above 101, or you have trouble swallowing or breathing. For severe after-hours emergencies, go to the nearest ER first, then call us.
A note from the office
You go home with a direct line to the office. Questions at 8pm? Call. A human who knows your case will answer or call right back.
Call (214) 206-4646Unsure about anything?
These pages cover the general case. Your written instructions cover yours, and the office phone covers everything else.