Follow These Dental Implant Aftercare Tips

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If you’re one of the 70% of individuals ages 65 and up who have experienced and are suffering from periodontal disease, or have lost teeth and are concerned with your appearance and oral health, then dental implants may be the right choice for you. A dental implant is a prosthetic tooth that is implanted into your jaw in order to replace a tooth or bridge. The benefits of dental implants are clear in their numbers, as more than 3 million Americans report having gotten the procedure with an overwhelming 98% success rate.

But what happens after your oral surgery? While dental implants are a highly successful procedure, a great deal of that success is owed to the after care that is implemented when the patient returns home. Follow these tips for proper dental implants aftercare, to better ensure that your dental implant procedure is a success:

• As the local anesthetic wears off, take care to avoid hot drinks and hot food. Instead, cold liquids will be best. For the first day, refrain from eating any and all food and avoid touching the implant area with your tongue or fingers.

• As part of dental implants aftercare, it is essential to get ample rest. Do not partake in any kind of strenuous exercise for at least 48 hours, such as running or other cardiovascular exercises.

• Up to three days after surgery, you may experience bruising and swelling. This is normal. Reduce the pain and presence of swelling by pressing an ice pack to the cheek area for a maximum of 10 minutes at a time. To help keep blood flowing, sleeping slightly propped up on two to three pillows.

• While you may expect soreness for a few days after surgery, extreme pain should not be an issue. Take the medicine prescribed by your surgeon in its stated dosage recommendation, and slowly transition to ibuprofen or Advil in the coming days as you recover.

• Watch out for infections. If you experience further pain or swelling, return to your periodontist or oral surgeon for immediate consultation.

In just days, your new, bright and beautiful smile will be worth the aftercare methods taken!