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Dental implant treatment is generally a very successful treatment. There are a few things that need to be done after your implant placement that can boost the chances for success.

Medication

You may be prescribed an antibiotic after your procedure. This helps protect against infection, which is a cause of implant failure. If you are prescribed an antibiotic, take it as directed until completely gone; incomplete regimens of antibiotics can make you susceptible to infections that are particularly difficult to clear up. Generally, prescription pain medications are not required after implant placement. Studies show that taking 400mg ibuprofen and 500mg Tylenol every 4-6 hours is the most effective pain control regimen.

Pain, swelling, and bleeding

You had a surgical procedure, so some discomfort is likely, as well as minor bleeding. You should be able to resume your daily activities and manage the pain with the medications discussed above. Everyone heals at a different rate, but generally you should start to feel much better a few days after your surgery.

Hygiene

You should brush around the area of the implant very gently for about a week, and brush the rest of your teeth as normal. You can even do a gentle non-alcohol based mouth rinse if it helps you keep the area clean. You must keep your teeth clean and free from buildup to have the best chance for success of the implant.

Sutures

We use dissolvable sutures, which generally dissolve in around 2 weeks. If your sutures are still in more than 3 weeks after your surgery, please give us a call.

Although most of these things discussed above are common post operative experiences, there are a few reasons that we would want you to call us, including numbness or tingling of your lips, cheeks, or tongue that lasts for more than 6 hours, persistent swelling or drainage from the implant.

Now that your implant surgery is complete, your implant generally needs to heal 12-16 weeks. After the healing period is complete, we will then begin the process of attaching the “tooth” (crown) to your new implant. For a single tooth this generally requires 3 or 4 short visits, for multiple teeth or a denture it may be more.

Thank you for choosing us for your care.