After receiving TMJ treatment, you must follow a few post-op instructions. Waco Surgical Arts has put together a quick guide to TMJ treatment recovery to help give you a better guideline for the first few days after your treatment.
What To Eat
During the first 24 hours, you will want to drink clear liquids and eat a soft diet such as soup, eggs, and pasta. Avoid drinking through a straw for 3 days post-op. You will also want to avoid mild produces until you are consuming clear liquids without difficulty. For 1 week, you will want to avoid crunchy food such as peanuts, chips, popcorn, etc.
What To Do
For the first couple of days, you will want to rest and avoid lifting, bending, or stooping. While you may feel awake when you arrive home, a small number of sedatives may remain in your system, leaving you feeling drowsy for the rest of the day. If you have received IV anesthesia, you are at risk for accidents at home, so plan for someone to be at home with you for 24 hours after surgery.
How To Deal With Bleeding
Immediately following your procedure, you can expect a certain amount of bleeding. We recommend leaving your gauze in for at least 20 minutes after surgery. If bleeding occurs, add fresh gauze to the site and leave for 60 minutes. If you continue to notice bleeding, contact our office.
How To Deal With Swelling
Swelling at the procedure site will reach its peak within 2-3 days and decrease over time. To help reduce swelling, you can apply ice packs for the first day only. We recommend doing 30 minutes on and 30 minutes off while keeping your head elevated as much as possible.
Other Symptoms To Expect
Other symptoms you may expect are:
Sore Teeth
Earache
Sore Throat
Bruising To The Outside Of The Face
Tightness Of The Jaw