Instructions Following Bone Grafting

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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 by these. The socket is overpacked to allow for the loss of a small amount of particles. It is normal for some of them to come out of the graft site and into your mouth. There are some things that can be done to minimize the amount of particles that become dislodged:

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— Do not vigorously rinse or spit for 3 to 5 days.

— Do not apply pressure with your tongue or fingers to the grafted area because the material is movable during the initial healing.

— Avoid chewing hard foods on the graft sites. Chewing forces during the healing phase can decrease the body’s ability to heal around the graft.

— Do not lift or pull the lip to look at the sutures; this can actually cause damage to the wound site and tear the sutures. Avoid poking the site with your tongue.

— Do not use any alcohol mouth rinse (ex: Listerine) during any part of the healing process.

— Do not use sonicare/electric toothbrush around the graft site.

— It is highly recommended to discontinue smoking for a minimum of one week after your procedure.

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For the first day, it is advisable to let the blood clot stabilize by not rinsing your mouth. If a partial denture or flipper was placed in your mouth, you will likely need to see your restorative dentist to have it adjusted and learn how to remove and replace it properly.

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Please call our office with any questions or concerns at 253-759-7941.