pdf icon

What to do after your Immediate Denture Surgery

You have undergone a teeth replacement procedure. We have put together a list of post-operative instructions for those who have recently undergone immediate denture surgery (including tooth extraction) or are looking to have it. In this guide, we outline what to do after surgery.

  1. Do not remove the immediate dentures from your mouth for the first 24 hours post-surgery. The overdenture will act as a bandage, protecting the surgical site, and controlling the swelling and bleeding. If removed prematurely, there is a high chance that swelling will be apparent which will make it difficult or impossible to replace the dentures back into your mouth. After 24 hours, you should remove the dentures every night and soak them in water or a disinfecting agent such as “Strident”.

  2. If your lip, tongue or cheek is numb, please take care not to bite it.

  3. If treatment has been completed under sedation or you have taken anti-anxiolytic medication, a responsible adult will need to drive you home and accompany you for the rest of the day until you are fully recovered from the effects of the medication.

  4. Swelling will occur and will reach a maximum 2-3 days following surgery before gradually subsiding. Oozing of blood around the denture is normal and is not cause for concern.

  5. Avoid rinsing your mouth or gargling water for at least 24 hours. After 24 hours, you may gently attempt to rinse your mouth with lukewarm salt water.

  6. For 24 hours following surgery, do not eat or drink anything hot, cold, or hard, as your mouth will be sensitive. Maintain a soft food diet for a few days or until you can slowly re-introduce hard foods (e.g. scrambled eggs, soup).

  7. Avoid alcohol and any physically exerting exercise for at least 24 hours.

  8. If you are a smoker, smoking is not advised for 24 hours as it may delay healing or increase the risk of a ‘dry socket’ complication.

  9. For the first evening’s sleep, rest your head on two pillows so that your head is slightly elevated. Cover the pillow in a rag or towl to protect it from staining if bleeding occurs overnight.

  10. For pain relief, your dental implant professional can prescribe analgesics and anti-inflammatory medication. Certain medications will cause drowsiness, and it is important not to drive or operate heavy machinery until you have fully recovered.

  11. If excessive bleeding, pain, fever or severe swelling occurs in the days following your appointment please call us on (08) 9226 2135.

  12. Over the course of the proceeding months, the bone in your jaw, as well as your gums will undergo some changes. You’ll notice a substantial change causing the immediate denture to loosen. Based on this, your denture will need to be temporarily realigned several times to improve the fitting of your immediate dentures. Once the effects of your gums and the bone in your jaw have subsided, you’ll need to come for a permanent refitting. In some rare cases, you may need a new denture if these new changes are substantial. This will be provided at an extra cost.

Contact us for more information or any additional questions

Contact Us