Having dental implants fitted is one solution to restoring the natural function and appearance of your teeth. If you’ve recently had them fitted, you will be looking to keep them for a long time and caring for your dental implants will ensure your mouth remains healthy.
The good news is that dental implants can last for decades with the right after care and they have a high success rate (95%), being a well-established and tried and tested way to restore the look of natural teeth.
Following an after care procedure is important to ensuring they last however, which is why you should follow your dentists’ instructions carefully. After the surgery, it’s important to rest for the remainder of the day. During this time, pain relief in the form of over-the-counter painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen may be prescribed.
It’s recommended that you don’t exercise or drive as you will still be under the effects of anaesthesia and this could affect your co-ordination. Smoking should be avoided as it prevents the mouth from healing and it’s also wise to only eat soft foods to keep the mouth clean after the operation.
Keeping your mouth cleans means following a good oral hygiene routine to keep the area clean by brushing, however you should avoid directly brushing the implant area. It’ also recommended that you rinse using a chlorhexidine mouthwash during the first week following the operation.
Hot salt mouthwashes using a cup of hot water and a pinch of salt could also be beneficial for helping the implants to heal in the first week following surgery. Your dentist may prescribe you antibiotics too to reduce the risk of the implant getting infected.
At Parrock Dental and Implant Centre, our Kent Dentist Dr Rik Trivedi is highly trained in dental implant procedures and providing the right after-care to ensure they are successful.
If you’re looking to have dental implants in Kent or would like to receive more advice about this, we can help. Please give us a call on 01474 537 191. You can also visit us in practice as our opening times are Monday and Wednesday from 9am to 5pm, Tuesday and Thursday from 9am to 8pm, Friday from 9am to 3pm and Saturday from 9am to 2pm.
We’re looking forward to restoring your smile!