Dental implants are an excellent option for a range of people, with appearance and functionality very close to that of real teeth. However, it is common for implants to take two sessions to be installed. During the procedure, you will be given a local anaesthetic, but when you return home, you may experience up to a week of swelling and discomfort. The tips in this short guide are intended to reduce your level of pain, while also making the implants as successful as possible.
Keep Up a Rigorous Oral Hygiene Routine
When you have a sore mouth, poking around with a toothbrush is the last thing you feel like doing, but it's vitally important to keep the area around your new implants clean. After 24 hours, start gently brushing your teeth with a soft brush. You can also use interdental brushes to tackle the areas between your teeth, and a mild antiseptic mouthwash to fight infection.
Stick to Soft Foods Immediately After Surgery
During the first few days after surgery, you will need to eat only soft foods, such as soup, smoothies, and well-cooked pasta. You should also make sure that your food and drink is not too hot, as this risks damaging the implants and slowing the healing process. Dentists recommend you wait up to a week before adding more textured foods like fruit and vegetables to your diet. After a couple of weeks, you will be able to resume your regular diet.
Avoid Cigarettes and Alcohol
Smoking is notoriously bad for those with dental implants, as it lowers the success of the implants and lengthens the healing process - to the point where some dentists are hesitant to provide smokers with implants at all. However, the dangers of alcohol when recovering from implant surgery are less well known. As Firouzian Dental explains, drinking alcohol during the first 72 hours after surgery is strongly advised against, as it can cause a bone disease called Avascular Necrosis. That said, you will be able to drink alcohol as normal when your mouth is healed.
Take Medication as Required
Most people do not need prescription painkillers after dental implant surgery and will opt to take over-the-counter painkillers as required. However, Bupa describes how some dentists will prescribe antibiotics as a preventative measure and may recommend an antiseptic mouthwash too. If you are prescribed anything, it is very important to take it as instructed.
If you follow these few simple tips, then recovering from dental implant surgery will be as seamless and pain-free as possible. Healing is generally complete within a couple of weeks, and with proper care, you will be able to enjoy your new teeth for many years.
