Dental Implants Aftercare – Advice from a Burton Implant Dentist

How to get the best from your new dental implants

As dental implants grow in popularity, we are getting a lot of patients at our Swadlincote practice near Burton and Ashby asking us whether any special care needs to be taken of a dental implant after it has been placed.

Whilst, generally speaking, once placed, dental implants can be thought of very much like any other tooth, there are a few points that are certainly worth keeping in mind.

Post Implant Procedure

As would be expected following a dental implant procedure, there is likely to be some soreness and tenderness in the area. This should ease over the next few days and any discomfort should be managed by the use of over the counter pain medication. Naturally though, the implant will be at its most vulnerable during this early period and special care should be taken.

One of the most important things for any patient who has had an implant is not to smoke. This is not optional but almost essential for the health of the implant. Smoking will have two major negative effects on the implant. The first of these is to significantly increase the risk of infection in the area; this, quite naturally can threaten the implant and may cause it to fail. It will also slowly down the healing time, once again risking the implant itself.

Care should also be taken whilst eating. During the three months whilst the implant fuses with the bone, soft foods should be eaten, and in the first few days possibly even only liquid foods. Not only would biting something hard cause some discomfort but may also affect the osseointegration of the implant.

Provided that the above advice is followed, along with any other care advice our implant dentist suggests, your dental implant should be ready to have a crown fitted after approximately 3 months.

Crown Fitting

Once your dentist is happy that the implant has fused correctly, it is then time for the dental crown to be attached. Once this has been done, you will have a replacement tooth that both looks and feels natural. As with natural teeth though, ongoing care needs to be taken.

There can be a tendency amongst some patients to think that because it is an ‘artificial’ tooth, it does not require cleaning in the same manner as a natural tooth. Whilst the tooth itself will not decay if not cleaned, there is still a risk of gum disease. If this is left to advance and reach the periodontitis stage, the bone structure is likely to be attacked and could well result in the loss of the implant.

Provided that you clean your teeth and floss regularly though, as well as keeping up with your dental appointments, there should be little to worry about and you can simply enjoy the new freedom that your dental implant will bring.

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