Aftercare Instructions for Dental Implants

The surgery involved in getting dental implants is often relatively short and straightforward. But your recovery process won’t just happen overnight. Your patience and commitment are crucial in determining the overall success of your treatment. To help maintain the best results possible, here are some aftercare instructions you need to follow after your implant surgery:

Bleeding

Blood oozing from the implant site is totally normal. To reduce the bleeding, your oral surgeon will place a surgical gauze over the wounds. So, bite down onto them. Don’t remove the fabric, at least for the first hour post-surgery. You don’t want to aggravate the bleeding, so avoid spitting or rinsing out your mouth until the flow of blood subsides.

Swelling

Don’t be surprised if you also have to deal with some swelling after your implant surgery. It’s a natural part of your body’s response to the healing process that needs to take place. Even if you only had simple implant surgery, inflammation is still very possible. You may also notice some bruising on your face and numbness. Others experience a tingling sensation on their tongue and lips. If your surgery was a little more complicated and included a bone grafting procedure, swelling on your face is guaranteed. The inflammation often starts to manifest within just a few days after your implant surgery, but it should subside after about a week. The best way to reduce swelling is to apply an ice pack on the affected area of your face within the first 24 hours following implantation.

Oral Care Routine and Habits

Are you wondering whether or not you can still brush your teeth after getting your new implants? The answer is yes — it’s absolutely encouraged. You may not be able to open your mouth very wide as they will likely be too painful post-surgery. So, on the first day post-surgery, avoid rinsing your mouth or brushing your teeth. After 24 hours, though, you may clean your mouth gently with a soft-bristled brush. Avoid touching the surgical site so that you don’t accidentally damage the tissues. To keep the risk of infection at bay, try rinsing your mouth gently with salt water every few hours. Since smoking tobacco can significantly affect your body’s healing process, don’t light up a cigarette at least within the first few weeks post-surgery.

Diet

To help ensure that your new implants heal fast, you have to treat them as gently as you possibly can, at least for the first few weeks following your surgery. This means that there will likely be some changes in your diet. For example, if you’ve had moderate surgery to get more than one implant, it would be best to eat soft foods during your first week post-surgery. If your procedure was more complex, you’d have to maintain a diet of fluids and soft foods for about six weeks after your dental implant procedure. Experts highly recommend sticking with pureed foods, smoothies, and protein shakes during this period. See to it that you also avoid consuming extremely hot foods and beverages as well as alcohol.

The duration of your recovery process after getting dental implants will depend on your oral health and the extent of your surgery, but it is normal to experience some discomfort regardless. Do you want to know more about how you can heal faster and more smoothly after the procedure? Call Reaves Dental today in New Hartford, New York, at (315) 736-0139 to schedule your consultation.