Recommendations After Dental Implants

Compliance with the recommendations after dental implant surgery largely determines the result of the intervention, the durability of artificial roots and crowns, the speed of healing of tissues, the patient’s own well-being. That is why the dentist-implantologist must instruct the patient in detail and explain the rules of oral care.

It is worth noting that there are general and individual recommendations. The general ones are mandatory for all patients who have undergone dental implants.

Food intake

Immediately after the intervention it is not recommended to eat for 2 hours. After this time, you can eat warm, soft food. It is important to exclude too cold and hot, solid food, peppery and spicy food. The main recommendations are as follows:

• chewing is better on the opposite side from the place of surgery;
• before eating, dental adhesive paste should be applied to the sutures – it will not only protect the wound surface, but also accelerate the healing process and anesthetize the operated area;
• after eating, you need to make a bath for 2-3 minutes with a suitable antiseptic (e.g., Chlorhexidine);
• it is important to avoid solid foods completely during the whole period of healing – otherwise the mechanical load can change the position of the bone stimulators of recovery. For the same reason, it is better to exclude foods that require active chewing.

Prophylactic antibiotic therapy and other medications

Recommendations after dental implants include taking antibiotics to prevent infection. Although this is a common component of postoperative rehabilitation for all patients, the choice of a particular medication is made by the doctor. He will clarify information about the presence of allergic reactions and select a mild antibiotic therapy.

It is important to be sure to take the medication according to the regimen developed. As a rule, 7 days of therapy is enough.

In addition to antibiotics, the doctor may also recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antihistamines – they will help to minimize the unpleasant consequences in the form of pain and swelling of soft tissues, prevent inflammatory reactions. Often 5-6 days of such therapy is enough to alleviate the condition.

Features of hygiene and care

The main principle of effective oral care after dental implants is gentle cleansing. You will have to give up irrigators for a while. Pay attention to the following nuances:

• active rinsing with antiseptics is prohibited until the removal of sutures;
• flossing can be continued daily;
• oral baths are a great alternative to rinsing.

Teeth should be brushed twice a day. The choice of brush should be based on such parameter as the degree of hardness of the bristles – it is better to give preference to a soft version.

How to avoid pain and swelling

Even proper care after dental implants does not guarantee the absence of some symptoms. For example, during the first 3-4 days there is a high probability of soft tissue swelling. This is a natural reaction to the intervention. In order to minimize swelling, the doctor places a cold compress on the operated area immediately after surgery. During the first 2 days you should continue to apply cold for a few minutes at short intervals. Ice wrapped in a towel is suitable for this purpose.

In many cases, during the first 3 days there may be a slight increase in body temperature.

Temporary soreness when swallowing, opening the mouth is also normal. It can be easily relieved with the usual painkillers. In addition, a course of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs prescribed by the doctor may help reduce the intensity of pain.

It is worth visiting the dentist unscheduled if the pain increases, the swelling does not go away, the bleeding does not stop, and the temperature does not go down by the third day.

General recommendations after dental implants

You should prepare for the rehabilitation period in advance: plan your time so that you visit the doctor twice a week. This will allow you to make timely adjustments to your recovery plan if necessary.

It is very important to:

• avoid excessive physical activity (for at least about 4 weeks);
• avoid visiting baths, saunas, and beaches;
• avoid hypothermia;
• stop or severely limit smoking;
• do not drink alcoholic beverages;
• no flights within 7-10 days after the intervention.

To alleviate the condition you can provide a high position of the head during sleep – put an additional pillow. This will also allow you to effectively fight postoperative symptoms.

If you have been fitted with removable temporary dentures, try to install them in such a way that the plastic base does not exert pressure on the sutures. If you feel an impact on them, it is better to see the doctor for correction sooner. Temporary soft tissue swelling can cause discomfort and misalignment of temporary crowns and the edge of the gum, in which case correction is not necessary.

The emergency visit to the dentist is worthwhile if even minor defects are discovered on the temporary crowns. For example, cracks in the overload points must be repaired, you do not have to wait for the structure to break.

Recommendations after the implantation of teeth in the upper jaw are as follows: try to avoid sneezing and coughing, not spitting and drinking drinks through a straw, blowing your nose very carefully. It is not recommended to open your mouth wide, inflate your cheeks, in short, to avoid pneumatics inside your nose and maxillary sinuses.

Care after implantation for dental implants and permanent crowns in general does not differ from the usual hygienic measures – after the complete healing of tissues, engraftment of artificial roots and installation of permanent orthopedic structures can return to the brush with a medium degree of hardness of the bristles and irrigator.

If you are concerned about discomfort or pain after an implant is placed, contact our Affordable Dentistry of South Florida immediately, our doctors will examine you, help you get rid of your discomfort and give you individualized recommendations for future care.