Important Aftercare Tips for Teeth Implants | Do’s & Don’ts
May 01, 2023
Tooth loss affects your smile, oral health, dental function, and self-esteem. Fortunately, dental professionals provide various options to replace missing teeth. One of the natural-looking and durable options is tooth implants. Read on to learn how to care for your dental implants after getting them.
What are Dental Implants?
They are types of dental restorations used by our dentist in Chino, CA, to help replace missing teeth. Dental implants are surgically fixed in the jawbone or gums to support various tooth replacements. For example, an implant can support crowns, dentures, or bridges. They enable the replacement of one or several teeth. Also, getting dental implants help restore full dental function.
What is Dental Implant Aftercare?
The procedure for dental implants is pain-free and comfortable. It is because your dentist will take precautions to prevent pain or discomfort. For example, they use anesthesia and sedation during the procedure. However, you will experience side effects like swelling, tenderness, and pain later. You should also expect slight bleeding from the operated site.
The symptoms will continue until the gums heal and the implant fuses with your jawbone. Therefore, you should properly care for your mouth and the surgical site afterward. Dental implant aftercare begins immediately after the procedure. Proper aftercare promotes fast recovery and helps manage the symptoms.
> Do’s After Dental Implant Surgery
- Follow Your Dentist’s Instructions: People have various issues requiring specialized care after implant surgery. Therefore, you should follow your dentist’s precise instructions following the procedure. Doing so ensures fast and successful healing.
- Take Rest: Get plenty of rest after the procedure. Resting will help prevent excess bleeding and swelling and promote healing. So, clear your schedule for a day or two and get someone to help you while you relax.
- Elevate Your Head: Ensure you elevate your head while lying down for adequate blood flow to the head. Elevating your head helps to decrease swelling in the surgical site and prevents excessive swelling.
- Check What You Eat: After the implant procedure, your gums and mouth will be sore, irritable, and swollen for a few days. Therefore, you should avoid taking spicy, hard, hot, or chewy foods for the first several days. Instead, consume soft, nutritious foods. Try more solid ones as the swelling and pain decrease.
- Ease The Discomfort and Swelling: Use pain relieving medication and cold packs to reduce pain and swelling in your mouth. Take medicine as instructed by your dentist, and use the ice packs for ten minutes on and off.
- Maintain Proper Oral Hygiene: Brushing your teeth and flossing after the procedure is essential. However, you should wait until the dentist approves before brushing at the implant site. In the meantime, maintain proper hygiene by using a warm saline rinse after meals. However, use the rinses at least 24 hours after the procedure.
- Attend Post-surgery Dental Evaluation: Visiting our dentist near Chino Hills during recovery is crucial. The expert will ensure you recover fast and have no complications.
- If You Have Bruxism, Use Customized Night Guards as You Sleep: They will prevent dislodging or damaging the implant. A nightguard also prevents excess pain when you grind your teeth around the implant site.
> Don’ts During Dental Implant Recovery
- Do not resume normal activities or do strenuous exercise immediately after surgery. This helps avoid excessive bleeding and swelling.
- Avoid hot foods and beverages since they increase bleeding, pain, and swelling.
- Avoid hard, crunchy, or sticky foods since they irritate your gums and lead to excessive pain and bleeding.
- Do not smoke or take alcohol as you heal following a dental implant procedure. The contents in alcohol and tobacco inhibit healing and may lead to implant failure.
Conclusion
Dental implants look like natural teeth making them unnoticeable when you smile or speak. They restore your chewing and speaking functions like natural teeth. In addition, implants are long-lasting, sturdy, and a permanent solution to missing teeth.
Get Dental Implants Near You
Are you considering replacing your damaged or missing teeth with tooth implants near Chino Hills? Then contact us at Ramona Dentistry of Chino to get dental implants in Chino CA. We offer various dental implant options depending on the number of missing teeth. Also, we consider personal needs to make a choice that improves your smile and facial looks.