Bone Grafting

Disclaimer: These instructions are intended for general guidance and do not replace the personalized instructions provided by Dr. Raj. If you have any questions or concerns about your care, please contact Dr. Raj directly.

Bone grafts / membranes

  • Avoid chewing on the site of the bone graft for as long as possible. Ideally, you are able to do this until your appointment for implant placement.

  • Bone grafts require a minimum of 3-6 months to heal and for the bone to solidify. This may be longer based on your specific situation.

  • It is normal for small chips of bone to work their way out of the graft site.

  • Bone grafts are generally covered by a dissolvable or non-dissolvable membrane depending on your specific situation. Please follow your personalized instructions given by Dr. Raj on whether the membrane will need to be removed.

  • You may have dissolvable or non-dissolvable sutures. Follow the suture removal instructions given by Dr. Raj the day of your procedure.

Swelling and Inflammation

  • You can expect swelling to increase after the procedure, reaching peak swelling around day 2 or day 3.

  • You can apply ice packs to the swollen parts of your face for the first 24-48 hours to minimize the amount of swelling.

  • You may have been prescribed a Medrol Dosepak . This is prescribed to reduce inflammation around the nerve in your lower jaw that supplies the sensation of your lower lip and chin. Complete the Dosepak as instructed on the medication packaging.

Stitches (Sutures)

  • Unless instructed otherwise by Dr. Raj, you may have dissolvable sutures.

  • These are expected to fall out in 3-14 days depending on the material that was needed for your case.

  • This can vary based on many factors, including but not limited to: location of the sutures, rate of salivary flow, number of sutures used.

  • If your dissolvable sutures do not fall out by the time 14 days have passed since your procedure, you may gently brush them to remove them.

  • If you have non-dissolvable sutures, you may have to return for a quick follow-up for suture removal. This generally is painless and does not require local anesthesia.

  • Follow any instructions given to you by Dr. Raj the day of the appointment, and reach out if you have any questions.

Pain Control

  • You should take 600 mg ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) every 6 hours for one week. This will help with both pain and inflammation.

    • Do NOT take ibuprofen if you have kidney disease or gastric ulcers

  • You may add 500 -1000 mg acetaminophen (Tylenol) every 6 hours for maximum pain relief. This drug is less effective at treating inflammation, but works well for pain when used with ibuprofen.

  • You may also alternate these medications every 3 hours. This is recommended if you feel that the pain medication is wearing off too quickly.

  • Do not exceed 2400 mg of ibuprofen daily, or 4000 mg acetaminophen daily.

  • You may have been prescribed stronger pain medications. Take those medications as directed by Dr. Raj and the instructions on the bottle.