Are you about to have dental implant treatment and learning to get acquainted with the aftercare process? Or perhaps you’re considering replacing a missing tooth with an implant and would like to learn about its durability?
This blog will talk you through how to make sure your dental implant serves you well for many years and why you should consider choosing our experienced and friendly team here in Sheffield for this life-changing treatment.
Immediate aftercare
How to look after your dental implant in the days after your implant surgery.
Going home: After your appointment to have your implant placed, you will be able to go home as soon as you feel ready to. The effects of the anaesthetic will take a few hours to wear off, and you will need someone to drive you home after the procedure for this reason. We recommend refraining from driving for 24 hours after the procedure, as some people can take longer than a few hours to feel normal again after having a local anaesthetic or sedation, the latter of which has relaxing and amnesic effects.
Minor bleeding: Some minor bleeding is normal after implant surgery, particularly in the first couple of days. If this fails to subside after this time, please contact us. We can invite you back to the practice for a check-up and address the issue. We want to stress that if you’re worried about anything post-implant surgery or have any questions, we’re more than happy to help – no question is too trivial for us!
Taking care of your mouth: Try to stick to a diet comprised of soft foods for at least a week after your surgery. You should also be rinsing your mouth with mouthwash 3-4 times a day for 24 hours after your treatment. The type of mouth wash to use will be advised by your dentist here at one80 Dental.
Pain relief: you may experience minor discomfort for a few days, but this can be controlled using over-the-counter pain relief, such as ibuprofen and paracetamol. If you’re in a lot of pain, please contact us.
Smoking and your implant: it’s no secret that smoking is bad for your teeth, but it’s also detrimental to your body’s healing process post-implant placement. The nicotine in cigarettes constricts blood vessels and reduces oxygen and blood flow to the soft tissues in your mouth, leading to a weakened immune response. It’s no surprise that this will compromise the way your body and your implant fuse together. Later in this blog, we’ll discuss why quitting smoking after having an implant is beneficial.
Long term aftercare
Your implant or implants deserve the same consistent level of care as your real teeth. Failing to do the following can put you at risk of implant failure:
– Regularly remove plaque through brushing and flossing.
– Attend the hygienist and dentist when advised to.
– Quit smoking.
The consequences of neglecting your implant(s) in this way can lead to a condition called peri-implantitis, caused by bacteria and food particles accumulating around the implant and your gum line.
Why is it important to avoid smoking after dental implant placement?
Smoking is one of the primary causes of tooth loss and could well be the reason you’ve had to get an implant in the first place.
Continuing to smoke heavily once your implant has been placed will put the life of your implant at risk. Inhaling cigarette smoke can burn the tissues in your mouth, leading to the top layer of skin cells to produce keratosis, which harms and blocks the salivary glands. This is problematic as saliva is responsible for rinsing away plaque and acids in your mouth. Without saliva stimulation, the gums and bone that support your implant(s) can begin to deteriorate, as gum disease can be allowed to occur. The dry environment in your mouth will also become an easy breeding ground for bacteria, speeding up the gum disease trajectory and causing other issues like cavities.
Are there other reasons dental implants might fail?
As the trend for patients travelling abroad for dental implant work continues to grow, we have been seeing an increase in the number of requests from patients with failed or failing cases of dental implants provided abroad. Often, these failures appear to occur due to limited treatment planning or a lack of basic understanding, leaving us with no choice but to remove the failing implant and plan an alternative alteration that will be durable and of high quality.
Whilst we understand it can be tempting to seek dental implant treatment abroad for a lower price than here in the UK, we strongly advise patients to steer clear of doing so. Even with the most thorough aftercare plan in place, there is a high chance your implant will fail.
Our dentists use the renowned Nobel Biocare implant system here in Sheffield. This brand of implant is considered a premium implant manufacturer, and their strong dedication to research and innovation is something we’re also passionate about here at one80 Dental. Simply put, they’re the best implants you can receive. Read more about Nobel Biocare implants here.
Do you live in Sheffield and need a dentist? Choose our trusted team at one80 Dental
We’re incredibly fortunate to have a talented dental implants team here in Sheffield, including Specialist in Prosthodontics Nigel Rosenbaum, who has been placing implants for more than 20 years.
Read more about our talented implant dentist team here.
Contact our Sheffield-based dentists today
We offer free appointments with our Treatment Advisor, who can talk to you about all the stages involved when getting a dental implant. The meeting with our Treatment Advisor is also an excellent opportunity to ask any questions about the procedure behind dental implants. We also find that nervous patients benefit significantly from this appointment, as it’s an opportunity for them to familiarise themselves with the dental practice environment.
Contact us here in Sheffield and receive outstanding care at every stage of your dental implant journey.