Taking Care of Dental Implants
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Although compared to other dental treatments (such as full dentures) dental implants are very low maintenance, there are still some things you can do to take care of them. This prolongs their life span and prevents infection. Your dentist will be able to give you advice specific to your case, but there are some general guidelines for taking care of your implants in the stages after the surgery.
Immediately after the surgery
While you are still under local anaesthetic take care not to have hot drinks or to eat anything, in case of damaging your mouth or disrupting the implant area without realising it. For the first day or two after the surgery try to avoid hot drinks and hot food as these can irritate and slow the healing. You should not rinse the area with liquid, and try to avoid touching it with your fingers or tongue. You should also not undertake activities that take heavy toll on your body during the first couple of days – so rule out a run or a trip to the gym.
The First Few Days
It is quite normal for the area of gum to be swollen in the first few days, but this should subside after the second day. To reduce swelling, use an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables and wrap them in a towel. You should hold the pack on your face for 10 minutes at a time maximum and give yourself a 20 minute break in between. After the first 24 hours it might be more helpful to have a gentle heat, for example a hot flannel. If swelling persists for more than a few days, or increases with time, you should visit your dentist in case the implant is not healing correctly. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort from your swelling you might try sleeping on more pillows, as raising your head should help ease the blood causing the swelling away from that area. Your skin may also appear bruised, but again this will fade.
Some bleeding is normal. To stop, apply pressure to the area with a clean piece of gauze or material such as a handkerchief. After 30 minutes of pressure the bleeding should have stopped. Do not apply anything to the area that is not clean, as you put yourself at increased risk of infection.
If you have had a bone graft you may notice small grains or granules in your mouth. Gently rinse these out with water, taking care not to swill water over the implant area and disturb it.
Your mouth may be sore but the pain should not be too severe and taking simple pain killers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol should help. You can take these for the first couple of days, bearing in mind the suggested dose on the instructions. To minimise discomfort you could take a pain killer before the anaesthetic wears off. If you are still in pain after 2 days and it is not reducing you should go back and see your dentist.
The First Few Weeks
Some dentists use dissolvable stitches, which should remain for around 2 or 3 weeks. Some people find the stitches very uncomfortable however, and after a week they may not be necessary as your gum may have healed. If you are experiencing discomfort and your gum has healed your dentist may agree to remove the stitches after a week.
If your implant did not seem to be healing well in the first few days your dentist may have prescribed you with antibiotics to fight infection. Even if your mouth is feeling much better you must finish the whole course of medication. If you are a denture wearer and your denture normally covers the implant site you should try and wear your denture only when absolutely necessary for the first 4 weeks, and do not chew your food with a denture covering a fresh implant.
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Guide to Dental Implants in London & the UK
- Causes of Tooth Loss
- Can I have Dental Implants?
- Types of Dental Implants
- What is Immediate Loading Surgery?
- What are Delayed Placement Implants?
- What is an Implant Overdenture?
- Additional Surgery with Dental Implants
- Making a Dental Implant Appointment
- Dental Implant Consultation
- How to Prepare for a Dental Implant
- Sedation & Anaesthetic in Dental Implant Procedures
- What to Expect During your Dental Implant Procedure
- Dental Implant Recovery
- Taking Care of Dental Implants
- Cleaning Dental Implants
- Waiting after a Tooth Extraction to have a Dental Implant
- What is Dental Implant Failure?
- Risks of Dental Implants
- Complications with Dental Implants
- Benefits of Dental Implants
- Disadvantages of Dental Implants
- Compare Dental Implants
- How Long do Dental Implants Last?
- Do I need a Dental Implant for Every Tooth that is Missing?
- Dental Implants for One Tooth
- Types of Single Tooth Implants
- Dental Implants when more than one Tooth is Missing
- Cost of Dental Implants
- Can I get Dental Implants on the NHS?
- Affording Dental Implants
- Future of Dental Implants
- Best Dental Implants
- Single Tooth Dental Implants
- Two Dental Implants
- Three Dental Implants
- All on Four Dental Implants
- Full Jaw (Full Arch) Dental Implants
- Dental Implant for One Missing Tooth
- Dental Implants for Two Missing Teeth
- Dental Implants for Three Missing Teeth
- Dental Implants for Four Missing Teeth
- Dental Implants for Five Missing Teeth
- Denture Stabilisation
- Mini Dental Implants
Further Information about Dental Treatment
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