Bone Grafting Post-Operative Care

Day 1: Day of Surgery

• Relax today and give yourself a comfortable experience.
• Use gauze if unpleasant bleeding continues as wounds will ooze today.
• Get a milkshake or something cold after leaving office to take with the pain medications and antibiotics (taking medicine on an empty stomach will cause nausea). It’s important to have the pain medicine working fully when the numbness wears off.
• Liquid diet today: milkshakes, smoothies, ice cream, soup, yogurt
• No rinsing, brushing or touching the area with finger or tongue.
• Take 600 mg of Ibuprofen every 6 hours (even if you think you don’t need it) to stay ahead of the pain. If the pain has increased and your doctor has prescribed a narcotic, you may take it with the Ibuprofen.
• It is not uncommon to feel bone particles (sand size) in your mouth.

Day 2: Day After Surgery

• Transition to soft food (mashed potatoes, oatmeal, apple sauce, soft pasta, fish)
• Start brushing teeth GENTLY but avoid surgical site.
• Start rinsing mouth with prescribed Peridex mouthwash 3 to 4 times a day.

Day 3-6: Week of Surgery

• Normal Diet
• No chewing on the area of the graft
• Suture and membrane (covering) will come loose or fall out. This is normal and typically falls out before your 1 week follow up appointment.

After 1 week

• Return for follow up to evaluate how the area of the graft is healing.
• If the membrane and/or suture is still attached, we will remove it the day of your follow up appointment.

When to call our office

• Pain and swelling increase after day 3
• Severe nausea or vomiting
• Bad taste pr pus in mouth
• Fever or chills
• Rash or adverse side effects from medications

Contacting our office after 4:30pm

• Do not hesitate to reach out to our doctors after hours
• Call 540-536-8000 and have the oral surgeon on call paged and one of our doctors will return your call.