Deciding to get dental implants can be both exciting and intimidating at the same time. On the one hand, you’re excited about the thought of your new smile but on the other, you’re concerned about recovery from dental implants. Here’s all you need to know about dental implant recovery, so settle down and enjoy the read.
Recovery from Dental Implants – What to Expect Immediately After Dental Implant Surgery
All surgery comes with a risk and dental implants are no different. That said, because the majority of assessing and planning for dental implants takes place prior to surgery, it’s considered safe, with the majority of people experiencing no complications from implants.
To ensure neither you nor your dental implants come into contact with bacteria our dental team use hand sanitiser prior to surgery and wear masks and other PPE equipment.
In these current times, you may be feeling a little apprehensive about visiting your dentist and undergoing dental implant surgery. We’d like to reassure you that at No Gaps Dental, we take every precaution to adhere to strict levels of sanitation and infection control. Patients will notice that hand sanitiser is placed in strategic locations throughout our clinics so please be sure to use it upon entry and exit.
Fortunately, most implant surgeries are relatively minor short procedures and are over almost before you’ve realised it. That said, it’s important to note that you may experience side effects.
Possible side effects
Slight discomfort is one of the most common side-effects of dental implant recovery. While anaesthesia will have ensured you felt no discomfort during surgery, once its effects wear off, your mouth may feel sore and tender. Typically though, this should only last for a few days and is usually managed by taking over-the-counter painkillers.
Swelling is another common side effect and is a natural reaction to dental implant surgery. It’s most likely to occur around the dental implant site and will typically go of its own accord. Taking Ibuprofen will help reduce the swelling as will placing an ice pack on the outside of your cheek on the side where the surgery took place.
What’s Next?
Your dentist will already have given you a list of instructions to aid recovery from dental implants in the first few days after you return home. For instance, under no circumstances should you smoke. The nicotine in smoke restricts the blood vessels and slows the flow of blood to the soft tissues. This can significantly affect dental implant recovery since it slows down the healing process and on some occasions may prevent your dental implants integrating with the bone.
Even if bone fusion does occur, smoking increases the risk of implant failure at a future date. For whatever reason, quitting smoking is a good idea.
It’s also important to attend all of your follow-up appointments. The purpose of these is for your dentist to monitor your recovery process and ensure it’s going as expected. If you have any questions about dental implant recovery, now is a good time to ask your dentist.
Perhaps, most importantly of all is for you to take plenty of rest, particularly on the day of surgery.
So, what foods can you eat?
It’s important to stick to a soft food diet for the first few days after receiving your dental implant. This is to avoid any movement to the jaw caused by chewing. Any type of motion could irritate the wound and jeopardise the healing procedure.
Good foods to eat following implant surgery include:
- Apple sauce, both for its texture and the fact it’s rich in Vitamin C and fibre. Also, it slides down with little or no chewing needed.
- Mashed potatoes – these are high in fibre and soft. You can always add cheese or gravy to make the potato more flavoursome.
- Yoghurt is another good option if you crave something sweet.
- Warm broth-based soups are filling as well as being a great source of protein.
Following the proper diet after receiving implants is one of the best ways to recover quickly from implant surgery. Hot and spicy foods must be avoided at all costs as these can cause irritation to the implant site. Don’t forget to wash your hands and use hand sanitiser before preparing your food to avoid contamination and the spreading of germs.
Alcohol should also be avoided since it has a tendency to increase swelling and pain. Finally, be sure to avoid foods that are hard or sticky.
Here are 3 tips to ensure dental implant recovery goes smoothly
Try to avoid touching the surgical site as much as you can. It’s important to continue brushing and flossing your teeth to keep your mouth clean but avoid contact with the incision site on the day of surgery. Your dentist will tell you when to start brushing around the implant.
Use saltwater rinses two or three times a day for the first few days to keep your mouth clean and infection at bay.
It’s also best to refrain from exercising until you’re fully healed. It’s best to start again with low impact exercise to help reduce the risk of bleeding. This includes yoga, walking, and light stretching exercises which, incidentally, can help speed up the healing process.
So there you have it. All you need to know about recovery from dental implants. Dental implant surgery can transform your quality of life for the better but it’s important to follow recovery instructions to ensure your surgery is a success.
If you’re considering dental implants then why not get in touch with the experienced dental team at No Gaps Dental. We provide high-quality implants at affordable prices. Book your appointment today or call us at (02) 8806 0227.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.