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REFERRALS

After Dental Extraction or Operation Care

Dear Patient and Parents,                                             

Well Done! After a dental extraction or operation, this is your complete guide to taking care of extraction site. 

Here are a few post-op instructions to get you through the next few days:

Immediately after Dental Extraction / Operation

  • Before the local anesthetic wears out, please take the prescribed painkillers to minimize discomfort.
  • Before the local anesthetic wears out, be careful not to chew the numb lip or drink very hot liquids, as you may hurt yourself unknowingly.
  • If stitches were placed during the surgical procedure, do not stretch the lip and cheeks to see the sutures as this can break the sutures.
  • DO NOT SMOKE for at least 5 days post-op to avoid DRY SOCKET, which is a very painful complication commonly associated with smoking after dental extractions or operations.
  • Have a good rest. Avoid exercises such as swimming and jogging that can restart the bleeding for the next 3 days.

FAQs

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It is important to attend your review date (if given). If you cannot come, call the clinic for an alternative date. 

Call us at 6737 9797 (Holland V. branch) or 6530 3605 (Novena branch) during office hours if you have any problems or questions. Just before you go, if you love how we cared for you, do share the love by leaving us a review here. Thank you very, very much!

Cheers always, 
MyBracesClinic

How to place dental guaze to stop bleeding after tooth extraction

  • Place a piece of small, folded gauze directly over the wound and bite down firmly for 5-8 minutes to stop the bleeding.
  • Tuck the gauze neatly onto the socket, bite down, and close your lips around it.
  • Do not let the gauze stick out of the mouth like a cigarette.
  • Change the gauze if it gets too wet and bite firmly for another 5-8 minutes. Repeat if necessary.
  • If active bleeding (thick, bright red blood and clots) persists despite a few tries, please call the clinic number during office hours or head down to the nearest hospital A&E department after office hours. 
  • Watch our video ‘How to stop bleeding at an Extraction Site’.
  • It is normal to have a ‘metallic’ taste in your mouth and slightly pink-colored saliva throughout the day. It is safe to swallow your saliva.
  • Some facial and intraoral swelling can be expected around the op site for the next 4 to 5 days.
  • There may be slight skin bruising colour around the face and sometimes down the neck. This usually resolves after 7-10 days.
  • Neighbouring teeth may feel slightly shaky after extraction as the bones need to be expanded for the tooth to be taken out. This will be resolved after a week. 
  • Please complete the course of antibiotics if prescribed.
  • Prescribed painkillers should be taken regularly to control post-surgical pain and swelling. Pain and discomfort are the most in the first 3 days and gradually reduce thereafter.
  • Avoid Herbal, TCM, or homeopathy supplements when you are taking our prescribed medications to avoid drug interactions.
  • Stop taking the medications IF you develop any allergic reactions, such as eye swelling, rashes or skin itchiness, severe diarrhea, and difficulty breathing. Please call the clinic number during office hours or head down to the nearest hospital A&E department after office hours. 
  • Avoid food that is too temperature hot to minimize restarting of the bleeding.
  • Avoid crunchy and hard food to avoid triggering bleeding again.
  • Eat on the opposite side of the wound.
  • Soft, lukewarm food for the first 3-5 days is recommended.
  • Alcohol should NOT be consumed for at least 3 days and NEVER with medications.  
  • Keep the wound clean to avoid infections. Brush gently around the area and use the prescribed antiseptic mouthwash gargle twice a day, gargle for 30 seconds, and avoid eating/ drinking for 30 minutes afterward.
  • Avoid smoking for at least 5 days after your procedure.
  • Do not poke around the surgical site, as this may introduce bacteria into the wound.
  • It is okay to start wearing the aligners the next day after extractions, or at least sleep for the next few days at night to prevent unwanted tooth movements.
  • Aim to start full-time aligner wear as soon as possible.
  • Please keep aligners and the teeth around the extraction site clean for good wound healing.

We understand that you may be uncomfortable about showing the gaps after dental extraction. Rest assured that the extraction spaces will disappear as teeth are shifted into place. In the meantime, here are some tips on hiding the extraction spaces using Invisalign as a ‘container’:

  • A cheap hack! Use cotton wool to fill the aligner space where the tooth used to be. Unbleached, organic cotton is a popular and safe choice. Replace as needed. 
  • Check this out: Aligner Pontics! Available on Amazon for a simple, Do-It-Yourself alternative that stays longer in the aligner than cotton wool!
  • At MyBracesClinic, we provide customized Aligner Pontic packages that are handmade in the clinic and applied individually to each missing space to hide them while neighboring teeth are moved into position. Talk to us to understand more. 
  • If you have a fixed space for a missing tooth or gap that will be replaced by a future implant, bridge, or denture,  you may opt for a customized TRANSFERABLE aligner pontic that is made at MyBracesClinic using color-matched composite resin. Speak to us to understand more about this option. 

Related topics

After TADs or Microimplants Care

After TADs or Microimplants Care

Temporary anchorage devices (TADs) or microimplants are placed intraorally to increase treatment efficiency.  In addition to the general care instructions after extractions, here are some unique care instructions after TADs or microimplants.

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