Post-surgical care in surgical periodontics

Abstract

The patient's post-surgical management is just as critical as the surgical treatment planning and management of the patient. Patients who do not receive proper and contemporary post-surgical instructions, or who do not follow them, are at higher risk for complications such as pain, swelling, and infection, as well as the possibility of altered healing of both the oral soft tissues and supporting osseous structures. During postoperative phase, the three most important factors to consider are the patient comfort, wound stability and plaque control. These are achieved through a combination of good surgical technique and careful postoperative care of the surgical site. Thus, surgeon's professional obligation is to ensure that patients receive consistent verbal and written instructions that describe activities during the critical early healing period after the surgery. Furthermore, the surgeon must have a thorough understanding of the instructions given to the patient, as well as the reasoning behind them.