Since their first modern usage in 1965 by Dr. Branemark; dental implants are the most effective & long-term solution for cases with missing teeth. Post-operation care for dental implants is essential to minimize the risks of infection and failure. Dental Implant aftercare comes in three stages; post-operation, osseointegration period and long-term maintenance. In this entry, we are focusing on the aftercare of dental implants following your operation.
The surgery is done, what’s next?
Once your new dental implant is placed into your jaw bone by DENTHUB‘s experienced surgeons, there are a couple of things you can expect to happen;
- XRAY: A final x-ray is a necessity right after the operation so the surgeon can check the placement of the implants and make sure everything is going according to the plan.
- ICE PACKS: The dental assistants are going to provide you with ice packs to apply to your cheeks right after the surgery. This is to prevent swelling & soreness around the area.
- MEDICATION: You will get a prescription from the surgeon after the operation. Our beloved nurses at your accommodation will bring the medication to your room. You need to pay attention to use them properly.
Post-Operation Aftercare
There are several things you need to follow to prevent complications ;
- NO SMOKING: This is quite an important one to follow. Smoking increases the chance of infection. It can cause your implants to fail and create severe other complications related to oral health. You are not advised to smoke for at least a week after the operation.
- DO NOT SPIT OUT: After the operation, you may experience bleeding for the following couple of hours or sometimes until the next morning. Do not spit out and try to swallow the liquid for the following 24 hours. The movement of spitting out can affect the implants badly.
- AVOID HOT BEVERAGES: You may feel the need for a relaxing hot coffee or tea after a long day you had or just to wake up in the morning. Unfortunately, you are strongly advised against exposing the operation area to quite hot temperatures. For the next following days of the procedure, try to consume room-temperature or cold foods & drinks.
- CONSUME SOFTER & PARTICLE FREE MEALS: Either you just had a single implant or a full mouth restoration, avoid using the operated area for biting & grinding food. Try to stick to softer food choices and once again stay clear of too hot options. Avoiding foods with particles such as rice would be advised too since they can stick to your fresh wounds.
- STAY CLEAR OF SPICY FOOD: While planning your dental treatment in Turkey you may have dreams about the fantastic cuisine you can encounter and try out. You are more than welcome to enjoy the local cuisine only if you can manage to stay clear of spicy food. Consuming strong spices can irritate the operated area.
- DO NOT CONSUME ALCOHOL: It is a known fact that alcohol can cause your blood to get thinner, this would affect your healing period negatively. You should avoid using alcoholic beverages for a week.
Essentially;
If you follow these suggestions and take your medication as advised by your doctor, you should not expect to have a problem at this stage. This does not mean that your dental implant aftercare is over though. The aftercare journey continues with the osseointegration period, where your dental implant is fusing with your jaw bone & your gums recover. Once the treatment is done and you receive your implant crown; aftercare for long-term maintenance will also be essential. Following the aftercare routines for each period decreases the chance of failure and improves your oral health. We will get into these suggestions in our following entries about dental implant aftercare. In the meantime, if you have any other questions about dental treatment with DENTHUB; you are more than welcome to contact our beloved patient coordinators right here.
