What to Expect After Getting Dental Implants and Care Tips
Do you have missing teeth? One of the ways to replace the missing teeth is using dental implants. Dental implants are biocompatible titanium poles that hold the dental caps in place. During the tooth implants procedure, your dentist will place the titanium pole in your jaw surgically.
Therefore, if you have medications or health conditions that can cause complications during and after the surgery, you should notify your dentist. Since the tooth implants procedure is surgical, you will need time to heal before the placement of the dental caps.
Below is what you can expect before and after getting a tooth implant and how to take care of it:
Before Getting Teeth Implants
Before getting teeth implants, it is advisable to take some days off from work. Your off days will offer time to prepare and recover after the implant placement procedure. During this period, you can avoid planning for work or social events you have to attend.
During the tooth implant surgery, your dentist will use local anesthesia to numb your tooth. However, if you have dental anxiety, you can request sedation. Depending on the mode of sedation, you might need someone to drive you home since you might still be feeling drowsy.
After Surgery
After recovery from anesthesia, you might experience mild pain and discomfort. To relieve pain, your dentist might recommend some medications or advise you on natural ways. If you have swollen gum, you can consider placing an ice pack on your face over the site of treatment. However, if pain or swelling persists, contact your dentist in Phoenix.
Bleeding after getting a tooth implant is not common. Therefore, if you experience bleeding or a loose implant, you should seek professional dental care.
Care After Getting Teeth Implants
Some aftercare tips for teeth implants are applicable just after surgery, while others are long-term. Here are some of the tips that will help you take care of your teeth after tooth implant surgery:
Right After Surgery
To speed up recovery and reduce the risk of complications, when you get out of the dentist’s office, you can consider the following:
- Apply pressure on site of bleeding to prevent excessive blood loss
- Use pain relievers prescribed by your dentist
- For swollen gums, apply a cold compress over the site of treatment
Eating and Drinking
Your recovery timeline might be influenced by the food you eat. Some foods require more pressure to crush them during chewing. Such foods might cause discomfort on the site of treatment and hinder fast healing. Therefore, you should consider eating soft foods for the first days.
You can then change your diet as you heal and transition to hard foods.
Oral Hygiene
Your oral hygiene is one of the factors that determine your recovery timeline. Therefore, you should consider practicing routine oral hygiene to keep your site of treatment free of bacteria.
During the first 24 hours, you can avoid rinsing your mouth to prevent damaging the blood clots. After the first day, you can use warm saline water to rinse your mouth. Warm saline water helps in eliminating bacteria in your mouth, preventing infections. Alternatively, you can use antiseptic mouth rinses.
To avoid the accumulation of plaque and tartar, you can brush your teeth, avoiding the site of treatment to prevent irritation. You can then start brushing your teeth gently as the site of the tooth implant heals.
Smoking
Tobacco contains some factors that affect healing. Therefore, you can avoid smoking or using tobacco products after getting teeth implants. Some other factors that can impair your healing process include:
- Poor diet
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Lack of proper dental care
Long Term Care for Teeth Implants
Just like any other dental restoration, teeth implants can be prone to damage. Your dental implants can stay intact for a lifetime if you take care of them. At ESP dental, we recommend the following care tips:
- Brush and floss your teeth regularly to prevent secondary complications that can damage your tooth implant
- Wear a protective mouthguard when playing contact sports to prevent dental injuries
- Visit your dentist regularly for dental exams and cleaning to prevent the risk of potential complications
Avoid biting or chewing in hard foods and objects to avoid damaging your tooth implant