Immediately following extractions or surgery, your surgeon will insert the immediate dentures. Please keep the dentures in place until your 24-hour follow up with Moonglow Denture Specialists. Sleep with the dentures in. The immediate dentures will help control tissue swelling and reduce bleeding by applying pressure on the surgical area. If the immediate denture is removed too soon following surgery, the surgical area may swell, making it difficult to reinsert the denture. It is normal for the denture to feel loose or large after insertion due to the swelling and bleeding. The immediate dentures will be removed for the first time during your 24-hr follow-up.
Immediate Post-Op Period (24 hours after surgery)
-Your lip, tongue, and cheek may be numb for up to 24 hours.
-While you are numb, avoid hot food and drinks.
-You may have oozing or intermittent bleeding from the surgery site.
-If you received IV sedation or are taking prescription pain medications, for the next 24 hours, do NOT stay alone, drive, or operate machinery.
-It is advisable to have someone at home to assist you for the first 24 hours.
-Apply ice to the treatment area, alternating 30 mins on, and 10 mins off. Do this for the first 8 to 10 hours after surgery.
-Do not lie flat. Elevate your head with a pillow.
*Under certain circumstances, the surgeon may recommend not wearing your immediate dentures following surgery. In this case, the doctor will consult with the surgeon and provide appropriate treatment during your 24-hour follow up appointment.
24-hour post-surgery follow-up appointment: During this appointment, the doctor will remove your immediate dentures for the first time, and you will be allowed to rinse your mouth. The doctor will examine the surgical area to ensure the site appears normal (checking for bleeding, swelling, sutures). The doctor or staff will check and adjust the denture to relieve any sore spots in your mouth. The doctor will also assess and adjust your bite. Occasionally, if the immediate denture is excessively loose, the doctor may add a soft reline material to improve the fit. The doctor and staff will review post-operative instructions, home care guidelines, and address any questions you may have.
Initial Healing Phase (2-5 days after surgery)
-It is common to have swelling, bruising, and tenderness around the face
-It is common to have sore throat, cracking, or soreness at the corners of your mouth
-It is common to have bruising under your chin, down your neck, and bruising under your eyes. Use a warm compress to help the bruising go away
-Your level of pain and discomfort should decrease daily
-Expect blood-tinged saliva
Nausea
Nausea is common after having IV sedation or when taking prescription pain medications. Nausea may be reduced by eating a small amount of food prior to taking your pain medications.
Warm Salt Water Rinse
Starting on the second day after surgery, use warm salt water rinses after each meal or at least 2 to 3 times per day. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in to 1 cup of warm water. Gently swish and do not spit.
Brushing
If you have remaining natural teeth, avoid brusing your teeth for the first 24 hours. After the 24 hours, you can gently brush your natural teeth using a soft bristle toothbrush and toothpaste.
Smoking and Alcohol
Avoid smoking and alcoholic beverage during the healing period.
Activity
For your safety, have an adult stay with you for at least 24 hours after surgery. Limit you physical activities to a minimum for the first week after surgery.
Sutures
Commonly used resorbable sutures will dissolve 7 to 14 days after surgery.
Diet
Initially after surgery, be sure to drink plenty of fluids and eat soft, nourishing foods. Protein shakes are recommended. Avoid hot foods or hot drinks for the first 24 hours after surgery. Avoid foods that are spicy, acidic, or have sharp edges (e.g. nachos). Do not skip meals. Eating regularly will help you feel better and heal faster. See list of soft food suggestions.
To minimize post-op infections, finish the antibiotics prescribed by the surgeon.
If you are experiencing ongoing pain, bleeding, persistence nausea, increase swelling, or fever, please contact your surgeon immediately. If you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911.
The most important thing is to keep the dentures in during the day AND night for the first week after surgery. Only take the dentures out for cleaning after a meal.
One-week follow-up appointment: During this appointment, the doctor will check the progress of your healing. You will have developed more sore or pressure spots from the denture. The doctor or staff will adjust these sore spots as well as your bite. The doctor will also assess how you are adapting to your immediate denture and address and questions or concerns you may have.
After the first week, if you are healing normally, the doctor will advise you to keep the denture out at night time. Please refer to the general Denture Care Instructions.
One-month follow-up appointment: By this time, your gums and tissue will have healed significantly. The doctor will assess the healing status. It is normal for the denture to feel considerably loose at this stage. The doctor will perform a soft reline on the immediate denture to help it re-adapt to your healed gums.
For the next several months (up to 6-9 months after surgery), your gums will continue to shrink and change. The doctor will periodically evaluate your healing progress and the fit of the immediate dentures. As your gums heal and change, the doctor will add new soft reline materials to ensure a better fit.
Post Operative Soft Diet Suggestions
During the first few days after surgery, the tissues in your mouth will be tender. You may choose to stick to very soft foods and soups at a moderate temperature until the tenderness resolves. The time it takes for the tenderness to subside varies from person to person. You may advance your diet as tolerated. Chewing food with a new prosthesis may feel strange or difficult at first. It may also alter your taste sensation temporarily due to the denture covering certain parts of your mouth. This will improve over time as your mouth heals, dentures are adjusted or relined, and most importantly, as the muscles of your mouth adapt to the new denture.
The following is a list of suggested types of food you can eat after surgery:
-Anything pureed
-Blended foods
-Applesauce
-Soft fruits: watermelon, kiwi, avocado, bananas
-Any steamed, well-cooked vegetables
-Mashed potatoes
-Grits/cream of wheat
-Soups with small, soft pieces of vegetable or very tender meat (no crunchy vegetables)
-Jell-O/pudding, yogurt
-Protein shakes/smoothies
-Broth
-Scrambled eggs
-Ice cream
-Cottage cheese
-Hummus
-Oatmeal
-Eggs of any type
-Pancakes
-Tender fish
-Pulled chicken/pork
-Ground chicken/pork
-Tofu
-Canned meat
-Soft brownies
-Pasta
-Rice
-Cake (no nuts or sprinkles)
You are not limited to the food mentioned above. You can have food items that are fork tender.
Foods to Avoid:
-Ice, raw vegetables, hard bread, apples, corn on cob, steak, jerky, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, chips, pretzels, popcorn, caramel, gummy bears, toffee, chewing gum