Appliance Placement at Time of Surgery

Appliance Placement at Time of Surgery

You have had on oral surgical procedure during which a temporary tooth or teeth replacement appliance was placed. This was done to provide functional and esthetic benefit to you on the day of surgery, thereby lessening the impact of tooth loss on you. Generally the placement of a temporary replacement makes recovery easier since the custom-fitted appliance serves as an excellent “bandage” or dressing for the surgical site. You can and should expect an adjustment phase as you heal and learn to tolerate your new appliance. Please try not to get too discouraged or frustrated as you navigate this transition. We are here to help you. Please call with any questions.

Although this sheet will give you more specialized care instructions for the type of procedure you have had today, the guidelines found on the “Post-Operative Instructions for Oral Surgery” sheet will also apply.

Depending on the nature of your surgery one of several possibilities exists:

1. You had several teeth extracted with or without implants being placed at the same time, and an immediate complete denture was placed on one or both jaws. The denture has been adjusted and stabilized to the best of our ability on the day of surgery. Getting adjusted to an immediate denture may be a difficult transition, however we are constantly amazed at how quickly our patients adapt. You will need to exercise special care in wearing and cleaning your appliance in the days immediately following surgery:
   • If the appliance comes out or is removed by you, it may be difficult to replace due to swelling. However, starting the day after surgery, the appliance should be removed daily and rinsed and brushed with water. It should be reinserted immediately after rinsing.
   • If you remove the appliance for any length of time please place it in a container of clean water or a commercial denture cleansing solution.
2. You had several teeth extracted with or without implants being placed at the same time and an immediate removable partial denture (containing one or more teeth) was placed. All of the above recommendations apply. Regarding oral hygiene, you may remove the appliance to brush and rinse your remaining teeth and mouth, then reinsert the appliance when you are done.
3. You had one or several teeth extracted with or without implants being placed and at the same time replacements that are not removable by you (bridges or crowns) were placed. These are generally quite easy to get used to since they are similar to having natural teeth. Please brush and rinse but be gentle with the new crowns and bridges. Do not floss until you have been cleared to do so by your Dentist. Avoid hard, crispy, chewy, or sticky foods that may cause the temporary cement to fail.