Undergoing dental implant surgery can make you feel excited and nervous equally. Excited because you can finally have your favorite food without fearing pain and nervous about the recovery period on how long it can take after the surgery. Recovering from tooth implant surgery may take up to 3 months as the dental implant must take some time to osseointegrate or fuse with the adjacent bone. To make your recovery even faster and easier, read on to learn our top 5 tips below: 

7 tips that can help you recover smoothly after dental implant surgery.

The recovery time for each patient can vary and depends upon various factors like age, the number of teeth implanted, the complexity of the procedure, the occurrence of multiple implants, disease conditions if any, and the health of the jawbone.

1. Take adequate Rest

Ever wondered why we are asked to take a rest when we are not well? Because rest helps us heal faster. Similarly, taking adequate rest after undergoing a denture implant surgery activates your body's inner healing cascade and returns it to a state of homeostasis allowing your body to heal, repair, and recover.

2. Take your medications on time

Taking your medications timely and adhering to your doctor's advice is another factor that can help you recover early. Your dental implant surgeon will prescribe you a few medications like painkillers that can assuage any pain or discomfort in the area and helps in reducing the post-operative infections. Ideally, your pain due to surgery may lessen in 2-3 days irrespective of the medication you are taking. 

3. Choose soft and nutritious foods over hard one

After having a dental implant surgery, it's recommended not to eat hot and spicy foods for the first 48 hours as they can irritate and cause bleeding in the area. After that, just follow your dentist's rules on foods to eat. It is generally recommended that you eat soft, semi-solid, or liquid foods that are nutritious which should be followed for some period of time for a faster recovery. You can start eating a normal diet after a few weeks. Continuing to eat soft, mushy,  and nutritious foods will not hurt and can keep your implant safe for longer periods of time. Make sure you avoid eating sticky foods that may stick to your tooth and are difficult to process for the temporary crown in the healing period.

4. Stay hydrated 

Staying hydrated flushes out harmful toxins from the body that could otherwise slow down your recovery process. Also, keeps you energized and makes you feel good.

5. Maintain proper oral hygiene 

To keep infection at bay you need to practice good oral hygiene. Make sure you rinse your mouth with warm water to keep your new implants clean and avoid any infection. Check with your dentist on how to brush or floss with your new dental implants. Choose your toothbrush with soft bristles.  

6. Avoid smoking 

Smoking and drinking alcohol can be bad for your teeth. Research studies have shown smoking to be associated with gum diseases. Smoking promotes the growth of the bacteria on your teeth forming plaque or tartar. So, it’s a good excuse to stop smoking especially after dental implant surgery.

7. Say No to Alcohol

Alcohol can dry up your mouth and hinders the healing process. It not only interacts with your medications and slows down their absorption but also affects the natural ability of healing. Moreover, Alcohol consumption with new dental implants will also irritate the surgical area making it difficult to heal faster.

Dental implant surgery can help replace missing tooth/teeth or if your teeth are badly damaged.  The only challenge to dental implants is the recovery period. Know how you can recover from a dental implant surgery faster by talking to a dentist on India’s Largest Dental Network MyDentalPlan.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

About the Author:

Suprithi Choudhary, M.Pharm (Pharmacology) Medical Content writer

Suprithi is a Pharma Professional working as a medical content writer and previously worked as a Research Scientist and Senior Research Analyst

Education

• C.M Academy
• Attended the Panjab University- Chandigarh, Pharma post-graduate in Pharmacology