Caring For Your Teeth After Dental Implants

After you have dental implants it is very important that you learn how to care for them properly. The procedure has a very high success rate and is gaining in popularity. More are more patients wishing to replace lost teeth are choosing to get implants as opposed to bridges or dentures.

You cannot just get implants and then not think about them again. Following the procedure there are some specific things that you must do to care for your mouth in the most appropriate manner possible. To facilitate healing you must follow the dentist's instructions carefully.

Icing the area and getting your rest are both very important following dental implant surgery. It is a type of surgery after all and you need to give your body the time it requires to recuperate. Your dental practitioner may inform you that it is in your best interests to place ice over the area that was operated upon immediately following the procedure. This will help to bring down swelling at the site of the dental implants. The ice can be used for the first 24 to 48 hours after you get dental implants. After that time you should switch to using a warm towel to make the area of your face feel better if you experience any degree of discomfort.

Rest may also be recommended for the implant patient. This may be dependent upon the extent of the dental work that you had done. The oral surgeon may strongly recommend that you spend the remainder of the day resting following your operation.

If after your implant surgery you suffer from pain that does not show any signs of improvement after you have applied an ice pack or a warm towel then you can use over-the-counter pain relievers to help reduce the pain you are experiencing. If that medication is still not enough then your dentist may be able to prescribe you a stronger medication to help you to feel more comfortable.

Your mouth needs to get use to the dental implants that have been placed permanently into your gums. To encourage the healing and recovery process and to make it occur faster and at a smoother rate the dental provider or oral surgeon will prescribe you a course of antibiotics. Taking the antibiotics at the proper times will help your gums to recover as rapidly as possible from the surgical procedure. The operation has caused trauma to your mouth and as a result it needs time and care to heal completely. The antibiotics can also help to prevent infection.

The dentist may also recommend that you use a mouth rinse to prevent the development of infection and also to minimize your chances of discomfort. You may be instructed to use the rinse for the first few hours or days after the dental operation.