Dental Implant Aftercare – Complete Guide to Ensuring the Longevity of Your Implants

You might feel surprised now, as your dental implants aren’t hurting as much as you expected them to. This can be the result of the precise and careful assessment and planning by your dentist. Now it’s the time for you to improve your oral care and pay close attention to Dental Implant Aftercare, so that they can last a lifetime.

The procedure is a minor surgery, so you should never feel anxious about it. At Srivari Dental Clinic, the way our specialists prepare you for the procedure, combined with the advanced technology we use, makes implant placement relatively simple. That’s why the advice they give you on caring for your teeth implants should be taken seriously and followed properly.

Good oral hygiene, taking prescribed medicines on time, and following your dentist’s instructions are all key to ensuring your implant’s long-term success. Plus, how well you follow these recommendations right after implant surgery can effectively prevent complications like implant failure or infection, and help the healing process.

Immediate Post-Procedure Care

After getting your implants done, you can leave the dental clinic as soon as you feel ready. Generally, local anesthesia is used for the dental implant procedure. However, if IV sedation or general anesthesia was given, make sure someone else drives you home safely.

You’ll need to get proper rest for a few hours, and by then, the effects of anesthesia will have worn off, possibly causing some pain. Swelling on the face is likely to peak within the first 24 to 48 hours, along with some mild bleeding. Bruising might also appear on the skin and gums.

These discomforts and the risk of infection can be managed by taking pain relievers, anti-inflammatory medications, and antibiotics on time, as prescribed by your dentist. You should be able to return to your normal routine within 1 to 2 days after the implant treatment.

Here are the Dental Implant Care tips and dos and don’ts you should follow immediately after the surgery to prevent the implant from dislodging;

• Apply pressure to the implant area by gently biting down on damp gauze for an hour or more.
• If bleeding continues, you can bite down on a moistened tea bag.
• If it’s heavy or unusual bleeding, contact your dentist.
• Apply ice packs to your face in intervals. 
• Take painkillers and antibiotics exactly as prescribed. 
• Avoid rinsing your mouth for the rest of the day.
• Do not spit forcefully or use straws.
• Avoid hot foods and drinks for the first 24 hours.
• Eat soft foods and stay away from hard, spicy foods for at least a week following the procedure. 
• Do not smoke (not even e-cigarettes) or drink alcohol for the first 1-2 weeks.
• Do not touch the implants with your tongue or fingers.
• Use the mouthwash recommended by your implantologist starting 24 hours after surgery, 3 or 4 times a day.
• Avoid strenuous activities for a few days.
• Do not wear dentures that cover the implant area during the healing phase.

The healing and recovery of your implants are in your hands. With proper aftercare and by following your dentist’s instructions, you will help ensure long-term success.

Managing Pain and Swelling

After dental implant treatment, it is completely normal to experience some mild bleeding, pain, swelling, and observe bloody saliva. These symptoms may continue for a few days; however, if they worsen, contact your dental surgeon immediately for appropriate medication.

With the right Dental Implants Post-Care, you should start seeing improvements in pain and swelling within a couple of days. Take over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, along with anti-inflammatory pills, to manage these symptoms.

Swelling on gums and face typically starts to subside after 72 hours. After 3 days, any swelling should have reduced, and the area around the implants should start healing. Remember to use the mouthwash prescribed by your implant specialist, as instructed.

The pain after a dental implant surgery is often less severe than that of a tooth extraction, especially a wisdom tooth extraction. So, if you have gone through those procedures before, you may find the discomfort after implant placement to be quite minimal.

Antibiotics must be taken at the prescribed dose and time to help prevent infections, and it’s important to complete the full course of medication. Apply ice packs to the implant area in 10 minutes per hour intervals to control swelling. Do this for the first 24 hours. 

If you have had stitches, your dentist will likely remove them 7 to 10 days after the implant has been placed. You will need to wait around 4 to 8 months (varies from person to person) for the implant to fully integrate with your jawbone before getting your permanent tooth or teeth fixed.

Diet and Eating After Dental Implant Surgery

It is important to stay hydrated on the day of surgery and stick to cold drinks only. Try not to eat anything until the effects of anesthesia or sedation have completely worn off. After that, stick to soft foods and avoid hot drinks, as well as hot and spicy foods, for a few days.

Most patients can return to their normal diet within 7-10 days, but it may vary from person to person and depends on how well you follow Post-Surgery Care for Dental Implants. Try to eat nourishing food even though eating may feel challenging during the initial days.

Chew on the opposite side of the implant sites and avoid biting into hard items or putting stress on the implants during the healing process. Plus, avoid sticky candies and seeded fruits, as they can stick to the implants or abutments, potentially dislodge them, and cause infection.

Foods to eat;

• Plain and unsweetened yogurt
• Soups (lukewarm, not hot)
• Applesauce
• Smoothies
• Scrambled eggs
• Mashed potatoes
• Cooked pasta
• Tofu
• Paneer
• Ground meat
• Fish

Foods to avoid;

• Raw vegetables
• Nuts and seeds
• Hard candies
• Chewing gum
• Popcorn
• Caramel and sticky sweets
• Citrus fruits
• Spicy foods
• Sugary drinks

Oral Hygiene and Cleaning During Recovery

Good and gentle oral hygiene is key to healing after dental implant surgery. This means you can start brushing and flossing. But only with a soft-bristle toothbrush, avoiding the surgical site, and without rinsing your mouth on the first day. From the next day, after meals, rinse your mouth gently with warm salt water 4 to 5 times a day.

Dental Implant Maintenance is simple if you follow your implantologist’s advice carefully. This may include using an antimicrobial chlorhexidine mouthwash; just avoid vigorous swishing. After a few days, you can clean around the implant and abutment (if placed), using a Q-tip and the prescribed cleaning solution.

If the stitches are dissolvable, your dental specialist will explain what to expect. Smoking should be completely avoided during the implant healing period, that is, before the fake teeth are fixed. Nicotine in smoke narrows blood vessels, which reduces blood flow to the soft tissues, delaying or even preventing healing of your gums.

Signs of Complications and When to Seek Help

Implant healing times vary from person to person. But if something doesn’t feel right, such as any unusual bleeding or the appearance of new symptoms, it’s better to contact your dental office and speak to your dentist about any potential concerns and complications.

While educating you on Dental Implant Aftercare Instructions, your implantology surgeon may have explained that implant failure is most often caused by poor oral hygiene or trauma from excessive pressure or bite force on the implants.

However, though rare, unexpected complications can happen, such as heavy bleeding, unusual swelling, or infection. Some patients may also experience an allergic reaction to anesthetics. These issues can interfere with bone healing around the implant, causing it to loosen.

Contact your implant dentist right away if you experience;

• Throbbing pain after surgery that doesn’t go away
• Bleeding that won’t stop, even after biting down on gauze
• Numbness in the area lasting more than 12 hours after implant placement
• Pain or swelling around the implant lasting more than 10 days
• A feeling that your implant is loose

Simply put, this procedure can be far less painful than a root canal treatment or a wisdom tooth extraction. Therefore, any worrying or unusual symptoms should be reported to your implant surgeon so that proper steps can be taken to prevent implant failure.

Long-Term Aftercare and Maintenance

Want to keep your implants in good condition? With the right care, they can last for decades or even a lifetime, and you can maintain them just as you would your natural teeth.

Top Dental Implant Care Tips;

• Brush twice a day, inside, outside, and on top of your teeth using a soft-bristle or electric toothbrush.
• Floss daily and use an antimicrobial mouthwash or any special cleaning solution recommended by your dentist.
• Quit smoking before the procedure and avoid it for at least 2 weeks after implant placement.
• Attend regular checkups with your dentist and schedule deep cleaning appointments with your dental hygienist.

If tooth cleaning is poor, it can lead to bacterial buildup, causing inflammation and bone loss around the implant. Not surprisingly, this can result in the implant losing support and eventually falling out. Dental implants are a well-planned, organised treatment that can give you a perfect smile for life, as long as aftercare is followed properly.

Maintaining implant function and aesthetics can be easy once you understand the job. At Srivari Dental Clinic, Dental Implant Aftercare includes regular, proper follow-ups and deep cleaning to prevent complications. This is how we maintain a high dental implant success rate with our patients, both Indian and foreign citizens.

Once your dentist is confident in your healing and oral hygiene, long-term implant care becomes just like routine dental checkups. Since long-term care is essential for your implants, never miss your follow-up appointments. Book your visit for an implant check-up with us today.