Dental implants are a wonderful way to restore your smile when you have missing or otherwise damaged teeth. While most implants only take a single visit to install, the recovery process does take a little longer — and it’s imperative you practice the proper aftercare. In order to ensure your implant successfully fuses with your jaw bone, here are some tips for recovering after getting dental implants.
Discomfort
While your mouth with still be numb directly after your implant procedure, it’s completely natural to feel a bit of pain or discomfort for the first couple of days. Your dentist may give you some medication to help quell any pain you feel, but if not, ibuprofen is a good alternative to help with inflammation and discomfort.
Eating
In order to avoid irritating the implant site, it’s best to stick to soft foods for the first few days after your surgery — pasta, smoothies, and mashed potatoes are all great examples. After a few days, you should be fine eating “regular” food, but it’s still often best to steer clear of any foods that are particularly crunchy and hard to chew for another few days. It’s also good to avoid drinking anything through a straw as this can create dry sockets and inhibit your recovery.
Resting
Take it easy for the first few days after your procedure and avoid any heavy exercise or strenuous activities. Depending on how extensive your procedure was, you should be fine to resume some activities the same day and get back to your regular activities (such as cardio) a few days later.
Hygiene
Of course, you’ll want to make sure you’re practicing proper hygiene, but you also have to make sure you’re doing it safely. Use salt water rinses to clean your mouth and be extra cautious when brushing near your new implant as brushing too hard can cause irritation or prevent the implant from healing properly.
At Smiles By Jiveh, we believe dental implants can change your life like no other procedure, giving you your confidence and beautiful smile back. We are the first-choice Palm Beach County dentist by providing superior care with every major dental treatment. Contact us today to schedule a consultation!
The information provided in this article is not meant to be medical advice and is for educational purposes only. If you would like to learn more about this and other dentistry-related topics, feel free to contact Smiles By Jiveh by clicking here or by calling (561) 798-9997.