The following information applies when grafting material has been used to help preserve your jaw bone or to grow additional bone in preparation for possible future implant placement to replace your missing tooth/teeth.
Your bone graft is made up of many particles. You may find some small granules in your mouth for the first several days. Do not be alarmed; it’s normal to have some of them come out of the graft site and into your mouth. There are some things you could do to minimize the amount of particles that become dislodged:
- • Do not disturb or touch the wound.
- • If sutures are used, your doctor will let you know if they are dissolvable or non-dissolvable types. Dissolvable sutures will come out after 3-5 days, non-dissolvable sutures will need to be removed after 2-3 weeks.
- • Avoid rinsing or spitting for 2 days (48 hours) to allow blood clot and graft material stabilization.
- • Do not apply pressure with your tongue or fingers to the grafted area, as the material is movable during the initial healing.
- • Do not lift or pull on the lip to look at the sutures. This can actually cause damage to the wound site and tear the sutures.
- • Do not apply pressure with gauze, light bleeding is normal and should be left alone until blood clot will form.
- • Do not smoke.
- • For mild discomfort, take Tylenol® or ibuprofen every 3–4 hours.
- • For severe pain, use the medication prescribed to you.
- • If Antibiotics are prescribed, please finish taking them.
Following the second day, gentle rinsing is allowed but not too vigorously, as you can again disturb some of the bone graft granules. If a partial denture or a flipper was placed in your mouth, they might need to be adjusted and you will learn how to remove and replace it appropriately.
