Receiving Your Dental Implants
Your journey toward a more beautiful, healthier smile doesn’t end after getting your dental implants. Taking care of your implants post-surgery and maintaining proper oral care is fundamental in ensuring a long-lasting smile.
Learn how to care for your implants following the procedure, in the long-run, and which products are best recommended for you.
Bouncing Back From Surgery
After receiving your implants, the healing process takes about two weeks, but the first 48 hours after surgery are the most critical. This is when you may experience more prominent symptoms, like oozing, persistent bleeding, swelling, and pain. This means your body is trying to heal itself.
Keep firm, yet delicate pressure on the gauze packs with your teeth during the first hour following your procedure. Try not to change out the gauze for the first hour unless you experience persistent bleeding. Then you can switch out the gauze every 30 to 45 minutes.
Several days following the surgery, you may notice minimal discoloration or bruising around the surgical areas. This is completely normal and can last up to three days.
Tips & Tricks for a Healthy Recovery
To encourage a healthy and happy recovery, make sure to follow these tips:
- Don’t touch or agitate the surgical areas
- Brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once a day
- Rinse with salt water 2-3 times a day
- Apply ice as needed
- Keep physical activity to a minimum
- Eat softer, easier-to-chew foods
Longview’s Implant dentist Dr. Edward Hobbs also recommends avoiding straws when drinking beverages. The motion of spitting or sucking can apply excessive pressure on the surgical site, impacting its ability to heal properly.
As your implants continue to heal, maintaining a good oral hygiene routine is necessary to prevent infection or possible complications. It’s crucial to avoid smoking and limit or even eliminate alcohol consumption.
You’ll need to schedule post-surgery appointments with your dentist so they can inspect, clean, and maintain your teeth. Plus, scheduling regular checkups and exams every six months is even more important after receiving dental implants.
If you follow these simple steps, you’ll be healed in no time and your dental implants will last you a lifetime.
Getting a Professional Implant Cleaning
Caring for your dental implants means regularly visiting the dentist after your procedure. You’ll receive a full oral exam and a professional cleaning for your implants.
Your dentist will meticulously clean the threads of the implant, surrounding tissue, and natural teeth to eliminate bacteria and prevent infection. It’s also a good time for your dentist to check your healing progress to make sure everything’s on track.
Comprehensive dentists like Dr. Irfan Ahmad suggest scheduling a cleaning at least twice a year to get rid of plaque and calculus around the gums and teeth. This will help prevent a number of dental problems, such as tooth decay, bone loss, gingivitis, and more.
The Best Products for Dental Implant Care
The first step to a successful recovery is caring for your implants and supporting good oral care. To do that, it’s important to choose the right dental products, as many implant specialists like Dr. Helios Houenou would recommend.
Here are some products to look out for when preparing for implant aftercare:
- Soft-bristled toothbrush to prevent scratches or possible damage to your dental crown and protect against gum irritation.
- Non-abrasive toothpaste to avoid harming soft tissue and damage to your new dental implants.
- Nylon floss, unwaxed tape, or floss specifically for implants to remove bacteria caught between your teeth.
- Water flosser, also called an oral irrigator, can help with reducing plaque buildup and inflammation.
- Alcohol-free mouthwash after the first critical hours of rinsing your mouth with salt water. This will prevent your mouth from drying out and hindering your healing process.
- Gum stimulator to encourage healthy gum tissue, which is essential in sustaining a dental implant.
Take Care of Your New, Beautiful Smile
With so many tooth restoration options, achieving a stunning smile has become accessible to patients with any number of missing teeth.
Bingham Farms’ implant specialist, Dr. Timothy Kosinski provides several dental implant solutions to help each unique patient look and feel their best. He offers single and multi-tooth implants, full-arch replacements, and implant-supported overdentures.
But don’t forget, your smile journey doesn’t stop after your surgery. It’s important to take proper care of your dental implants after the procedure and the years that follow. With the help of these tips and tricks, your implants are guaranteed to last.