• Dental Phobia Support

    Welcome! This is an online support group for anyone who is has a severe fear of the dentist or dental treatment. Please note that this is NOT a general dental problems or health anxiety forum! You can find a list of them here.

    Register now to access all the features of the forum.

Had bone graft and abutment fitted last Monday. When it is safe to wear my flipper?

A

Achey

Junior member
Joined
Sep 3, 2017
Messages
15
So one week ago I was booked in to have my abutment fitted (had a tooth extracted 8 weeks earlier, right next to my two front teeth)
As my dentist carried out the procedure, he said that my bone was soft and that I needed a bone graft. Because of this it was basically impossible to wear my flipper straight after - not that I would have been able to anyway as I had some spectacular swelling and bruising of the left side of my face for the next 5 or so days.
Now the swelling has subsided enough for me to put the flipper in, which my dentist told me should be fine provided that I don't wear it all the time.
However...after the surgery had been carried out , I asked him - So, would you recommend me to do a salt water rinse a few times a day to prevent an infection?. His answer was 'No, just dip a cotton bud in mouthwash and dab it on the area".
I also asked ' Do I need to use icepacks for a certain amount of time to help reduce any swelling?". His reply ' No, that won't be needed!'.
Needless to say I ended up using an icepack for days in order to help reduce the swelling anyway.

I am kind of concerned that putting in my flipper will put pressure on the bone graft (which it states pretty much everywhere online), but at the same time, there are certain times where I can't hide behind a mask , and I don't quite fancy showing off my lovely hug gap in my front teeth either.
But I honestly have no idea when I can safely wear my flipper again.
What were you advised to do by your dentists? Am due to have my stitches out next week.
 
I had my front, upper tooth extracted, bone grafting, bone block graft, and implant placed at the same appointment. I walked out wearing my flipper and was never told not to wear it. I asked that question before the procedure as I was worried about pressure as well. The oral surgeon said that he made sure the flipper was not putting any pressure on the implant or graft. He adjusted it multiple times before I left. I ended up having it adjusted more in the following weeks just for comfort, but my graft and implant were very successful. I was actually told to leave it in for 24 hours following the procedure, rinse it, then pop it back in for another 24 hours, even sleeping in it.
If you feel like yours presses on the graft, maybe ask to have it adjusted or checked?
 
@Achey How was your experience after all? I had a broken front tooth (#8) and before my extraction in two weeks, the oral surgeon asked me to go back to the dentist to get a tooth flipper. It was my first time putting on yesterday and I've already having a hard time putting in and out. I just can't imagine putting it after the extraction. Does it hurt when the flipper sitting on the extracted tooth?
 
@MountainMama So glad that I found this forum. My toddler has been bumping into my front tooth since she was one year old (she's three now). So hard that one of my front tooth chipped and now the other one broke and needed an implant. Seriously, I cried for a couple nights over this and feeling like I am having depression. I thought dental appointment will be available since it's pandemic period, but I was wrong. My tooth was broken on 3/29 and my extraction will have to wait until 4/26. The good news is that my oral surgeon said he can perform extraction, bone graf and implant all at once. I was thrill to find out this, but then the next second, I felt very nervous about that since everywhere else I read said to perform extraction, bone graft and implant separately. Since you also had done that, would you mind sharing with me your experience? How long does it take to heal? Was it very uncomfortable? Can you eat or brush after the surgery? Can you eat with the tooth flipper on? I am working in the office 3 days a week and due to pandemic, I don't feel comfortable taking in and out the flipper when I have to share bathroom with 30 other coworkers. And to add to my stress, I have the chipped tooth next to the broken tooth. By putting the flipper, I've been worried that it will break the filling for the chipped tooth. The flipper feels very tight and seems like it's going to break the filling. To add to that, my dental insurance does not cover implant, so the dental and oral office did an estimated for me, just for one single tooth, the cost is $7,500-8,000. Is that a fair price? I didn't expect it to be so expensive. I am totally stressed worrying about the oral surgery, getting used to wear flipper and the tooth with filling next to the broker tooth. I kept telling myself that it's just a tooth, nothing comparing to those who suffer from life threatening events.
 
@MountainMama So glad that I found this forum. My toddler has been bumping into my front tooth since she was one year old (she's three now). So hard that one of my front tooth chipped and now the other one broke and needed an implant. Seriously, I cried for a couple nights over this and feeling like I am having depression. I thought dental appointment will be available since it's pandemic period, but I was wrong. My tooth was broken on 3/29 and my extraction will have to wait until 4/26. The good news is that my oral surgeon said he can perform extraction, bone graf and implant all at once. I was thrill to find out this, but then the next second, I felt very nervous about that since everywhere else I read said to perform extraction, bone graft and implant separately. Since you also had done that, would you mind sharing with me your experience? How long does it take to heal? Was it very uncomfortable? Can you eat or brush after the surgery? Can you eat with the tooth flipper on? I am working in the office 3 days a week and due to pandemic, I don't feel comfortable taking in and out the flipper when I have to share bathroom with 30 other coworkers. And to add to my stress, I have the chipped tooth next to the broken tooth. By putting the flipper, I've been worried that it will break the filling for the chipped tooth. The flipper feels very tight and seems like it's going to break the filling. To add to that, my dental insurance does not cover implant, so the dental and oral office did an estimated for me, just for one single tooth, the cost is $7,500-8,000. Is that a fair price? I didn't expect it to be so experience. I am totally stressed worrying about the oral surgery, getting used to wear flipper and the tooth with filling next to the broker tooth. I kept telling myself that it's just a tooth, nothing comparing to those who suffer from life threatening events.
Are you putting in your flipper before the extraction? Is your tooth gone? I couldn’t put mine until after the extraction. The surgeon put it in for me the first time and told me to leave it in for 24 hours, then take it out and rinse it.
I thought the recovery was pretty easy compared to the extraction and implant of a molar, where you have to wait for the implant until after the grafting heals. Having the implant already in makes it easier. The surgeon will cover the implant back up with the gums, and later will uncover it and put in the healing cap when it is ready to handle a crown. You don’t have to worry about the clot and there is not a lot of bleeding.

For me, the scariest part was taking the flipper out after 24 hours. I was so worried that it would put pressure on the implant, but the surgeon told me that he “bulked” up the gums over the implant to cushion it. He also adjusted the flipped multiple times before I left until he was satisfied that it was not putting pressure on the implant.

I did brush the first night but was told to avoid that area and do not spit or rinse until 24 hours, just to wipe out my mouth. After 24 hours it was fine, but to be gentle.

The flipper won’t hurt your other tooth at all. Even if it is tight, it is made from a material that won’t break your tooth. Your dentist can adjust it if it feels too tight, though. I had multiple adjustments the first week.

You can eat with it in, just can’t bite with the tooth on the flipper. It is a little awkward so I stuck with soft things at first until I got the hang of it.

The price sounds reasonable. Mine was around $6500, but I live in an area where things are a little cheaper. That cost includes the whole process, except the crown.
 
@MountainMama Thank you for your response. I had a broken tooth, so the dentist help me smooth the tooth and now it looks like there's no teeth, but the root is still there.

Sounds like you had a very smooth process with your implant. I am having so much worries especially the fact that it's a long process. Every time when I put in and out the flipper, I feel like my other front tooth is coming out. Do you feel the same? I don't feel anything with the tooth next to it. It's only the front tooth next to it that had a feeling. And I also feel that this front tooth sticks out more. I took it in and out 4 times a day. I don't know how I can get used to it when I return to work next week. I will faint if I don't eat.

Would you recommend to put the flipper on as long as you can? Sometimes I feel like I don't want to wear it. Is it supposed to be tightly fitted?

I've been so worried that I can't really eat. I lost a couple of pounds since the day I lost my tooth. Totally stressed!
 
@MountainMama Thank you for your response. I had a broken tooth, so the dentist help me smooth the tooth and now it looks like there's no teeth, but the root is still there.

Sounds like you had a very smooth process with your implant. I am having so much worries especially the fact that it's a long process. Every time when I put in and out the flipper, I feel like my other front tooth is coming out. Do you feel the same? I don't feel anything with the tooth next to it. It's only the front tooth next to it that had a feeling. And I also feel that this front tooth sticks out more. I took it in and out 4 times a day. I don't know how I can get used to it when I return to work next week. I will faint if I don't eat.

Would you recommend to put the flipper on as long as you can? Sometimes I feel like I don't want to wear it. Is it supposed to be tightly fitted?

I've been so worried that I can't really eat. I lost a couple of pounds since the day I lost my tooth. Totally stressed!
Mine felt tight at first as well, but I adjusted to it. If you are wearing it now, and it is really uncomfortable, ask your dentist if they can make some adjustments. They can take a tiny bit off the side of the fake tooth so it doesn’t feel as tight.

Mine had the fake tooth forward a bit as well. It bugged me, but everyone who knew I had it said they couldn’t tell at all. I think we are hypersensitive to little differences because we know what it looked and felt like before.

As far as eating, can you start with something easy, like soup? You will want to rinse it after you eat, as it feels kind of yucky sometimes after eating. You can also get some denture adhesive and use a little bit. That helped me because food bits would get under the palate piece and drive me crazy. If I used the denture adhesive, it didn’t do that and if I was eating out somewhere, I could just drink some water and kind of rinse it in my mouth and take it out later.

I wore mine all the time at first, then after a few weeks I left it out when I was at home.

The procedure wasn’t really that long. I actually had mine done at the same time that I had a lower molar implant placed as well. It took about an hour and a half total for both, and my front tooth procedure was pretty complicated. I had a lot of infection and he had to clean out the hole, and do a bone block graft along with the regular bone grafting.
 
@MountainMama I just emailed my dentist and immediately they offered me an appointment to have it fixed. Still a little tight, but feels more comfortable. Thank you for advise. The dentist also ensure me that the other front tooth will not fall out. I guess I just have to try to relax. He also mentioned that this is purely for cosmetic, so I don't really have to put it on. With front tooth, the chance of reposition of nearby teeth is minimal. I am just going to get used to wearing it now since I will need to wear it after the surgery at the end of this month. And then I'll be like you, not wearing it on the days I am working from home. :)

Wow, you had two implants at the same time. May I ask what do you eat after the procedure? I worry that food particular might get in the incision part and get? How painful was it after the procedure? And how long did the pain last? I am trying to plan out how many sick days I would need to request.

Sorry for asking so many questions. Sometimes I feel than asking person who experienced the situation is better because they know exactly what's going on and how it feels. Thank you again. Really appreciated you for sharing your experiences and advices.
 
@MountainMama I just emailed my dentist and immediately they offered me an appointment to have it fixed. Still a little tight, but feels more comfortable. Thank you for advise. The dentist also ensure me that the other front tooth will not fall out. I guess I just have to try to relax. He also mentioned that this is purely for cosmetic, so I don't really have to put it on. With front tooth, the chance of reposition of nearby teeth is minimal. I am just going to get used to wearing it now since I will need to wear it after the surgery at the end of this month. And then I'll be like you, not wearing it on the days I am working from home. :)

Wow, you had two implants at the same time. May I ask what do you eat after the procedure? I worry that food particular might get in the incision part and get? How painful was it after the procedure? And how long did the pain last? I am trying to plan out how many sick days I would need to request.

Sorry for asking so many questions. Sometimes I feel than asking person who experienced the situation is better because they know exactly what's going on and how it feels. Thank you again. Really appreciated you for sharing your experiences and advices.
I don’t mind you asking questions. I did the same thing when I was going through it.
I had about a week of eating soft foods, like soup, pasta, eggs, etc. Then it was back to normal mostly. You won’t need to worry about food particles because the implant site will be stitched, and then it will heal over. There won’t be a hole. I am assuming your surgeon won’t put a healing cap on right away, but if they do, that still will be covering the implant so there will not be anywhere for food to get stuck. With my front tooth, my surgeon had it so that after about a week, once the stitches had mostly dissolved, it just looked like gums. The implant was buried, so that it could heal. The stitches are annoying, but you get used to it. They told me to avoid eating anything crunchy or hard that could “poke” the implant site for a few weeks. Then I could eat as normal. Since I had an implant placed on the lower right at the same time, it took a little longer for me to get back to normal eating.

The pain was not that bad, honestly. I had more pain from my lower implant than from my front tooth (which was a more complicated procedure). I also have atypical facial pain, so my pain can be weird and more intense. I can’t take anti-inflammatory meds either, so if you can take ibuprofen you will be just fine! I took Tylenol, and they prescribed me some tramadol, which I mostly just took at night because it made me drowsy. I don’t take opioids as I am sensitive to medicine and they knock me out. You may get a prescription for a higher dose painkiller, but you would be fine with ibuprofen.
To give you an idea, I had my surgery on a Tuesday (two implants, along with the extraction and grafting of the front tooth) and I was at my son’s basketball game on Friday night.

One thing to consider for work…you may have swelling and bruising. My upper lip was swollen (again no anti-inflammatory meds, though) for about a week. I had some bruising under my nose. The worst bruising for me was with the lower molar implant though. It looked like I had been punched in the jaw. It was weird because it didn’t hurt that much.
 
@MountainMama Thank you for your patience in answering my questions and sharing details of your experience. Since we can’t brush teeth the first day and we have to wear the flipper, I don’t know how we can wash off food might might have stuck between the flipper am gum.

Aww, I don’t think I can take ibuprofen either. It’s a bit too strong for me. And I don’t know how to swallow pills. ?

I thought the adjustment with the tooth flipper made me feel slightly better, but after I took it out last night, I feel soreness in my back gum for the broken tooth. Instead of pulling sideways prior to adjustment, it now pushes backward. I hate to go in for another adjustment.
 
@MountainMama Thank you for your patience in answering my questions and sharing details of your experience. Since we can’t brush teeth the first day and we have to wear the flipper, I don’t know how we can wash off food might might have stuck between the flipper am gum.

Aww, I don’t think I can take ibuprofen either. It’s a bit too strong for me. And I don’t know how to swallow pills. ?

I thought the adjustment with the tooth flipper made me feel slightly better, but after I took it out last night, I feel soreness in my back gum for the broken tooth. Instead of pulling sideways prior to adjustment, it now pushes backward. I hate to go in for another adjustment.
Don’t feel bad about going in. It will take awhile to feel comfortable. I would be hesitant to do a lot of adjustments to the actual fake tooth until after your tooth is out, because that could change the way it fits.

However, making it fit is important. I went in three days in a row to get mine adjusted the first week.
 
Don’t feel bad about going in. It will take awhile to feel comfortable. I would be hesitant to do a lot of adjustments to the actual fake tooth until after your tooth is out, because that could change the way it fits.

However, making it fit is important. I went in three days in a row to get mine adjusted the first week.
Hi, sorry it’s me again. On and off I have hard time putting on the flipper. Today, I tried for 2 hours. Yesterday only took two tries. Is there a trick to make it easier? My flipper has metal at the end hooking to my back tooth. It’s very stressful trying for 2 hours. I finally gave up. My appointment has been postponed for two weeks because I am having some infection in my throat. I really need to take advantage of these two weeks to practice putting in and out the flipper. Thank you!
 
Hi, sorry it’s me again. On and off I have hard time putting on the flipper. Today, I tried for 2 hours. Yesterday only took two tries. Is there a trick to make it easier? My flipper has metal at the end hooking to my back tooth. It’s very stressful trying for 2 hours. I finally gave up. My appointment has been postponed for two weeks because I am having some infection in my throat. I really need to take advantage of these two weeks to practice putting in and out the flipper. Thank you!
Mine had plastic “hooks” that went around my back teeth. I found that it was easier to put the tooth through the front first, then kind of slide it back and up. I would try different techniques, and see if it is easier to go in with the front first or the back. For me, the tooth stuck out a little more than my other front tooth, because my natural tooth also had that position. So if I tried to slide it in from the back first, it would be too tight in the front, if that makes sense.
 
Mine had plastic “hooks” that went around my back teeth. I found that it was easier to put the tooth through the front first, then kind of slide it back and up. I would try different techniques, and see if it is easier to go in with the front first or the back. For me, the tooth stuck out a little more than my other front tooth, because my natural tooth also had that position. So if I tried to slide it in from the back first, it would be too tight in the front, if that makes sense.
Thank you again. I saw on YouTube, people usually have the one that you have. Not sure why they gave me this to wear. I afraid hurting my extracted tooth and the bone graft/implant when I try to put it on after the surgery. :( Will it hurt when the flipper touches the wound? Or will it damages the bone graft and implant?
 
Thank you again. I saw on YouTube, people usually have the one that you have. Not sure why they gave me this to wear. I afraid hurting my extracted tooth and the bone graft/implant when I try to put it on after the surgery. :( Will it hurt when the flipper touches the wound? Or will it damages the bone graft and implant?
It won’t hurt the graft or implant. I had the exact same worry and my surgeon reassured me that they cover the implant and graft well, and “bulk up” the gums around it. He used a membrane to cover it under the gums, that he later removed when he uncovered the implant when it was ready.
Before you leave, they will make sure the flipper is not touching the extraction site too much. Then the flipper itself will distribute the pressure so it won’t have pressure on that area alone. I ate with mine in, and even bumped it a few times (which resulted in a frantic call to the surgeon to make sure it was okay), and he reassured me.
 
@MountainMama Thanks for the information again. I did my flipper with my dentist and the oral surgeon is at another location. I hope he measures the space in between because when my mouth is numb, I will not be able to tell if it’s tight.
 
@Kate2022
@MountainMama Thanks for the information again. I did my flipper with my dentist and the oral surgeon is at another location. I hope he measures the space in between because when my mouth is numb, I will not be able to tell if it’s tight.
My flipper was also made at my dentist. The surgeon did the initial adjustments after the surgery while I was numb. I have no idea how he measured it but he put it in, took it out and ground on it, then repeated about five times before he left it in.
 
@Kate2022

My flipper was also made at my dentist. The surgeon did the initial adjustments after the surgery while I was numb. I have no idea how he measured it but he put it in, took it out and ground on it, then repeated about five times before he left it in.
I guess I just have to trust the oral surgeon and stop being nervous. After all, they have so many years of experience. It should all be fine. I never understood why we must wear flipper after extraction.
 
I guess I just have to trust the oral surgeon and stop being nervous. After all, they have so many years of experience. It should all be fine. I never understood why we must wear flipper after extraction.
It is hard to get past our own anxiety to trust someone else! I get it! I know I asked a ton of questions and I was lucky my surgeon was so patient and understanding. The very first surgeon I went to, recommended by my endodontist (for extraction of an extra wisdom tooth), was a little cold and seemed put off by my questions. I asked my dentist for a different surgeon the next time I needed work done.
About the flipper, are you asking why you need it at all, or why you put it in right after the extraction?

You don’t have to wear it, from my understanding. When I had other implants put in, on back teeth, I didn’t use partials.

My surgeon told me that for the front tooth, the flipper will basically take the place of the gauze. The benefit of wearing it is to keep the other teeth from shifting and hold the place for the implant. If you wear it right after and leave it in a few days, it will be easier than trying to make it fit after not having it in. In your situation, though, since you don’t really have a tooth there, I don’t know. You have the root still in there, right? So I would guess that is still holding the space so your teeth don’t shift.
 
It is hard to get past our own anxiety to trust someone else! I get it! I know I asked a ton of questions and I was lucky my surgeon was so patient and understanding. The very first surgeon I went to, recommended by my endodontist (for extraction of an extra wisdom tooth), was a little cold and seemed put off by my questions. I asked my dentist for a different surgeon the next time I needed work done.
About the flipper, are you asking why you need it at all, or why you put it in right after the extraction?

You don’t have to wear it, from my understanding. When I had other implants put in, on back teeth, I didn’t use partials.

My surgeon told me that for the front tooth, the flipper will basically take the place of the gauze. The benefit of wearing it is to keep the other teeth from shifting and hold the place for the implant. If you wear it right after and leave it in a few days, it will be easier than trying to make it fit after not having it in. In your situation, though, since you don’t really have a tooth there, I don’t know. You have the root still in there, right? So I would guess that is still holding the space so your teeth don’t shift.
I didn’t get to spend too much time with the oral surgeon. He was in a rush as he was 30 minutes behind schedule and a number of patients were still waiting. His assistant did the CT Scan for me and he basically looked at the CT scan and told me that he will do everything all at once and about 3 months, I can put the tooth back. Not much time for questions. He already escorted me to the billing specialist. I thought they would at least inspect the broken tooth and gum. That’s why I didn’t feel comfortable about it. And when I emailed him my questions, the front desk emailed me back without consulting with oral surgeon. I know because I had a following questions specifically to check with the surgery and she told me that he was out of office and won’t be back until 3 days later. I had a very bad experience with a surgery with anesthesia and ended up with hooking in a ventilator for 6 days and almost didn’t make it. So I am extremely nervous. I told the surgeon about my concern, but he said it sould be fine this time.

Yes, I was referring to why wearing the flipper after extraction and implant. And what you said make sense. My dentist told me that it’s not necessary because front tooth won’t shift position. Actually having the flipper will make me feel better after extraction because I will not be able to see the would; otherwise I might faint. I afraid if wounds and blood. Currently putting in the flipper is a challenge. Every day I spent 1-2 hours in the bathroom trying to put it on and because of that I don’t feel like eating multiple meals. So now I only eat lunch and dinner and completely skip snacks.

Yes, you are correct. The dentist smooth of surface for the broken tooth, so it looks like there’s no tooth, but the root is still there.

I just want to fast forward to 5 months later, so everything is settled. :)
 
Back
Top