5 Things to do after getting Dental Implants

You’ve just had an incredible surgery that left you with a stunning smile. But what is there to do now? Many dental implant clinics will give you practical post-treatment care and present to you a ton of guidelines to follow. For sake of information and education I will list a number of those things on our website.

1. Eating After Dental Implant Surgery

This is most likely a popular topic for questions about post-surgery care. People always want to know when they can eat the foods they love. The answer is soon. But before you go ahead and eat the very things that you love, it’s important to be safe about what you eat after surgery.

Tips:

1. Don’t start with tough foods right away. Pick something that is relatively easy the chew and stay away from extremely cold or extremely hot food. I wouldn’t be surprised if you experienced some acute sensitivity to hot and cold foods.
2. It’s a general rule of thumb to eat foods that are softer for the first week or so because it will keep food particles from disturbing the surgical area and will promote better overall oral health.
3. Although it may not be comfortable, it’s recommended that you rinse your mouth with a salt-water (saline) mixture to ensure a natural sterilization of your mouth after meals.

2. How to deal with post surgery bleeding.

Tips:

1. It’s good practice to use some sort of gauze or bandaging on the surgery site to make the healing and recovery process a quick one.
2. Implant Dentistry professionals will suggest that the bandaging/gauze be left in place for 30-60 minutes following the dental implant surgery.
3. In the event that after 30 minutes have passed and the bleeding continues, replace the gauze  and wait another 30 minutes or so. If bleeding continues for an extended period of time (2+ hours.) contact a local physician or doctor and get an examination.

3. Dealing with Post Surgery Swelling

To deal the issue of swelling that a few people have after surgery, it’s best practice to use an ice pack or another cold application source and press it gently against the swollen area and hold it there for 30 minutes then off for 30 minutes. Another bit of advice is to keep your head raised slightly when lying down in order to reduce further swelling.

4. Dealing with Post Surgery Pain and Infection

After your surgery, as you’ve been given anesthetic, it’s important to note that it will be a couple of hours before it wears off. In that time it’s a good idea to keep a couple things in mind. Some advice on that subject: This seems like pretty obvious advice but be careful not to bite your lip, tongue, or tongue. You will want to take some painkiller unless you serious want to feel the pain later and once again, if the pain persists please contact a local health provider or a physician and have them examine the area.

In the case of infection prevention, you should rinse your mouth with a salt/water mixture for a couple of minutes. If you happen to get an infection for the surgery, talk to your doctor and get antibiotics. If you leave an oral infection unattended it can do a lot of harm to your mouth and can even leave the condition of your mouth worse than before you dental implant surgery.

5. The Speedy Road to Recovery

When your implant have been placed, a blood clot will develop in the surgery area. Don’t be worried about this, it’s a normal part of the recovery process. In the days and weeks following your surgery, it’s wise to take caution and limit the amount of vigorous activity that you do specifically up to 24 hours after your surgery. Things like smoking and drinking through a straw are not recommended and often discouraged as it can disturb the clot and slow down your recovery. Drink water but try your best to keep away from the surgical area.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us by phone or by email. You can get our contact info on our main page here: Dental Implants in Winnipeg