Guide to Dental Implant Care
Care for your dental implant starts immediately after you’ve had your procedure. It’s important that you are guided and know what to do where aftercare is concerned. Proper care ensures the success of your implants to last you a long time. Here’s the guide to implant aftercare from the day of surgery to the following weeks thereafter.
After Dental Implant Surgery
When your implant surgery ends, the implant care process begins. As soon as your surgery ends, the dental implant care process will begin. You must have been told that somebody else needs to drive you home. By this time the anesthesia is starting to wear off. Don’t worry about your recovery, it is usually not a huge cause for concern. More important is not to touch the surgery site and not to mouthwash vigorously.
Expect that there may be bleeding from the implant site that may last up until 72 hours after the surgery. To control the bleeding, put a gauze on top of the implant and bite on it firmly for an hour. Repeat every 6 to 10 hours. Use a moistened black tea bag instead if bleeding is excessive; the tannic acid in black tea constricts the blood vessels and promotes clotting. Avoid unnecessary bleeding by staying calm, avoiding physical exercise. Just sit upright and don’t bend or lift heavy things. No forceful spitting, smoking or using a straw; they can interfere with blood clotting.
If you experience pain, manage it by taking Tylenol and not the usual NSAIDS, like Ibuprofen or Advil. They can inhibit the integration of the implant with the bone. In fact, take your painkiller before anesthesia wears off, but don’t do it more than every 6 hours. About 4 days after surgery, pain and discomfort may subside. Call your dentist if you experience prolonged stiffness of the throat and difficulty swallowing. Antibiotics are not necessary unless your dentist suspects there’s an infection.
A day after surgery, you may experience swelling and bruising around the nose and eyes, particularly if there has been sinus lifting. It will peak in 2 to 3 days and afterward subside. To minimize swelling and bruising, apply an ice pack on to your face in the area of the implant. Let it stay 15-20 minutes at a time and repeat for 48 hours. Ask your doctor for an anti-inflammatory OTC product, but use caution as it can affect the healing process. Stay hydrated, avoid salt, and prop up your head when sleeping.
Get enough rest and don’t go to work the next day. Take a few days off if your job requires strenuous activity. For about a week, avoid any physical exercise or vigorous exertion because these can interfere with healing. Get 8 hours of sleep every night as most of your healing happens when you are in bed.
SourceEnsuring Implant Success in Federal Way
When you have your dental implants with us, rest assured that you are properly guided and monitored during your aftercare. See our Federal Way dentist Dr. Hwang, for more info on dental implants.
