Postoperative Instructions: Sinus Lift

• Do not disturb the wound. Avoid rinsing, spitting, or touching the wound on the day of surgery. Be as gentle as you can around the sinus lift site.
• Do not blow your nose for at least 7 days, as the pressure will delay or damage your sinus healing. If you have to sneeze, do not hold it back-sneeze out. Open your mouth and try to minimize the pressure in your nasal/sinus passages.
• You may use nasal decongestants, such as over-the-counter Mucinex-D" tablets or Afrin Nasal Spray, to keep your passages dry, especially if you have noticed continued drainage or feel the need to blow your nose.
• When bleeding, apply pressure with clean gauze directly to the area and change the gauze every 30-45 minutes as needed. Steady, consistent, firm, direct pressure for at least 30 minutes at a time is best. Bleeding should decrease over time.
• Swelling peaks on day 3 after surgery. Use ice packs on and off for 10 to 15 minutes during the first 24 hours to decrease swelling. If you experience rapid swelling after the 3rd day, the opening of the surgical site, drainage, or bad taste, please contact our office.
• Stay hydrated, consuming liquids and puree the first 24 hours. After that, advance to a soft diet for the first week after surgery.
• It is extremely important to take your ANTIBIOTICS for the entire prescribed course to prevent post-operative infection.
• Oral hygiene is important for post-operative healing. Do not rinse your mouth or spit for 24 hours. After 24 hours have passed, start brushing your teeth, but avoid the sinus lift site and the teeth on either side of the bone graft site for the first 7 days. You can start lightly rinsing your mouth with the prescription rinse or warm salt water after 24 hours. Avoid vigorously rinsing for 72 hours.
• Do not drink from a straw, smoke, or drink carbonated beverages for 3 days. Do not do any heavy lifting, pushing, or pulling for 7 days after the bone graft.
• Partial dentures, flippers, or full dentures should not be used immediately after surgery. You may wear these prostheses as soon as it is comfortable, but only if the prosthesis does not put pressure on the sinus lift site.

PRESCRIPTIONS

You were most likely prescribed pain medication or instructed to take ibuprofen, or a combination of the two.

• When you leave the clinic after surgery, your mouth will be numb for at least 2-3 hours.
• We recommend eating and starting your pain medication (ibuprofen if able) before the numbness goes away. Take other prescribed pain medication as needed in addition to ibuprofen. Taking pain medication without food can cause nausea.
• If you were prescribed an anti-nausea medication, start taking it AS SOON AS you start to feel ANY nausea. Only take it if needed. If you were not prescribed an anti-nausea medication and you start to have nausea, STOP eating/drinking. If nausea persists for longer than 1-2 hours, call our clinic.
• Take your prescribed antibiotics as instructed. It is best to take antibiotics with food.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call our clinic at (205) 900-WISE. We are available 24/7. If you need to call after hours, you will reach our answering service. Tell them you have a question/concern, and they will connect you with one of our team members.