Postoperative Instructions After Exposure of an Impacted Canine Tooth

Bleeding

Some bleeding or redness in the saliva is normal for 24 hours. Excessive bleeding which results in your mouth filling rapidly with blood can frequently be controlled by biting with light pressure on a gauze pad placed directly on the bleeding wound for 30 minutes. Care must be taken however to avoid excessive pressure on the gold chain attached to the arch wire, as this could dislodge the bracket from the impacted tooth.  If bleeding continues please call for further instructions.

Swelling

Swelling is a normal occurrence after surgery.  If the impacted tooth was on the palate, no visible facial swelling may occur, so ice packs may not be necessary.  If the impacted canine tooth was located on the lip side of the jaw, there may be some swelling of the upper lip postoperatively. To minimize swelling, apply an ice bag or a plastic bag filled with crushed ice on the cheek and lips in the area of surgery. Apply the ice continuously as much as possible for the first 12 hours after surgery.

Diet

Drink plenty of fluids. Avoid hot liquids or food. Soft food and liquids should be eaten on the day of surgery. Return to a normal diet as soon as possible unless otherwise directed, but remember, you should avoid biting hard or crunchy food items, as these could dislodge the bracket from the impacted tooth.

Pain

For minimal or moderate pain, Tylenol or Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) may be effective.   With the Ibuprofen, the maximum dose is 2400 mg per day, which can be taken as two 200 mg tablets every 4 hours, or three 200 mg tablets (600mg) every 6 hours, or four 200 mg tablets (800mg) every 8 hours.

Oral Hygiene

You can brush your teeth the night of surgery but, use a very soft bristle brush, and rinse gently.  Expect to see a small amount of blood in the sink when brushing your teeth.  This is very normal, and does not mean that you should stop brushing the area.   Be very careful to avoid trauma to the gold chain, as this could dislodge the bracket from the impacted tooth.

Activity

Keep physical activities to a minimum immediately following surgery. Strenuous exercise, jogging, or sporting activities that may cause an increase in the blood pressure should be avoided for the first 48 hours.