Tips For Proper Dental Implant Surgery Recovery

If you are preparing for dental implant surgery, it's important that you know what to expect of the recovery as well. Your dental implant recovery process requires careful preparation and care to ensure that you get the best possible results from the surgery. Here are some tips to help you make your recovery as easy and successful as possible.

Avoid Disturbing The Implant

While it's tempting to poke around the area with your tongue, rinse your mouth with mouthwash, and similar things after your surgery, it's important that you don't do any of these things. Anything that could disturb the implant, including rinsing and spitting, can be problematic and lead to implant failure. Leave the area undisturbed so that it can heal appropriately.

Another important part of this is choosing your meals carefully while you heal. You'll want to stick with soft foods while your implant is healing so that you don't disturb the post. Yogurts, soups, and applesauce are great choices. Your doctor will advise how long you need to stay on soft meals, and you should make sure you stick with it.

Take Your Medication

You will typically be prescribed pain medication as well as an antibiotic following the implant surgery. Make sure that you thoroughly understand the dosing instructions associated with your prescriptions and follow them closely. The pain medication is dosed to help keep you comfortable through your recovery, and the antibiotic is important for protecting you against infection while the implant heals.

Don't Be Alarmed By Bleeding And Swelling

Especially in the first 24 hours after your implant surgery, you can expect there to be some bleeding and swelling in the surgery area. The bleeding should ease as the area heals, and you shouldn't see it much beyond the first 24 hours. For swelling, you can help moderate it by applying ice to the area for 15-minute increments. The ice will calm some of the inflammation that causes the swelling.

Keep Your Mouth Clean

One of the hardest parts of the post-implant recovery is protecting your mouth from bacteria and other hazards. You need to keep your mouth clean, but you need to steer clear of toothpaste, mouthwash, and similar products. Instead, your doctor will advise that you need to rinse your mouth with warm water periodically to keep it clean. Make sure that you do this in the incremental periods recommended.

These are a few of the things that you need to understand going into a dental implant procedure. Talk with your dentist about any other tips to help you get through the recovery.


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