subject: A Guide To Recover From Dental Implants [print this page] Are you missing one or more teeth or having gaps between your teeth? Thanks to advances in dentistry, safe and effective dental implants are available to replace missing and gappy teeth. They act and look just like your natural teeth as well. They are the optimal solution for those patients who have lost their teeth either due to decay, disease or injury. Dental implants are more durable than bridges and dentures, their restorative counterparts. Most dental implants consist of a titanium screw material and a porcelain crown, which insert directly into your jawbone and hold a false tooth in place in the same way that roots support a natural tooth.
This process is quite involved and requires sedation. That means Dental Implant surgery also requires a sufficient period of time to recover and feel like yourself again. The recovery time can vary depending upon the individual case, the individual patient, the number of teeth affected and importantly, how you manage your recovery process. In this article, we will discuss several important things to do while you recover and many others you should avoid during the recovery period. Follow these simple and effective steps to get back on your feet faster.
You can't drive if you were given a medication to make you drowsy during dental implant surgery, so have someone else drive you home.
Take prescribed pain medication and antibiotics. If you have a reaction to the medication, immediately contact to your dental surgeon.
Avoid pushing your tongue near the dental implant area again and again for at least two-four weeks after surgery.
Prop your head up with extra pillows for the first one or two nights. This will help reduce swelling.
To avoid swelling, just prop up your head with extra soft pillows for the first time one or two nights.
Avoid smoking, alcohol, hot drinks and spicy/acidic foods as this can affect the healing of the tissues around the dental implants.
Apply a cold compress or ice pack over the teeth implant treated area as much as possible for the first three days to reduce swelling.
Eat a light diet comprised of soft foods while you recover. Avoid hard crusty foods as this can cause more pressure on the teeth implant.
Avoid brushing the teeth implant treated area. Rinse with mouthwash twice a day to keep the implant area clean and undisturbed.
