What to Expect During a Dental Implants Procedure

Placing a dental implant is a process that is different for each patient. The healing process and the steps required all depend on what’s going on in your mouth. The only way to know exactly what to expect is to consult with us at our office, but we’d be happy to give you an overview here:

Can I go back to work right away?
You may have read that it can take months to completely heal from a dental implant procedure. This is true, but a little misleading. Many patients are able to return to work the next day, but the mouth takes time to truly be ‘good as new’. It all depends on your specific procedure. We recommend that you plan to rest for a day. Keep in mind that your body will heal faster if you avoid exhausting yourself. If you take good care of yourself, you should be back to work very quickly.

How can I care for myself while I heal?
After the surgery, you will need to go easy on your mouth. Just like after any oral surgery, we recommend eating only soft foods for at least two weeks. You may be given antibiotics and instructions to rinse with salt water. Keeping your mouth clean is important to prevent infection. Avoid smoking.

About Bone Grafting
It may be the case that your bone is not strong enough to support the implant. In this case, bone grafting may be necessary. During this routine procedure, we take bone from a stronger part of your jaw or another part of your body, implant it into the jaw and are thus able to encourage your body to begin growing strong, new bone in its place. If you only need a small amount of bone, it may be possible to do the procedure during the same appointment as your implant surgery. However, it may be the case that you need to wait for bone growth to occur prior to us placing the implant. Every case is different.

Let us properly inform you on what you personally can expect! If you have any questions call our Greenbelt MD office at 301-982-4555.

Oral Surgeon | Tooth Extraction Surgery, Greenbelt MD

One of the most common questions we get from our patients is how to take care of their mouths after any type of Oral Surgeon; primarily extractions.  While the mouth can be a bit sore after procedures such as prepping for a crown, fillings, etc. (swishing with warm salt water will help soothe the gums), we run into the most problems when it comes to extractions.  The following tips will help heal the gums as fast as possible and make for an experience involving as little pain and discomfort as possible!

1. Starting the day AFTER the extraction, swish 3 to 4 times a day with warm salt water (about a teaspoon of salt to 8 ounces of water).  After swishing for about 30 seconds, stand over the sink and let the salt water mixture “drool out”, do not forcefully spit it out!

2. DO NOT drink through a straw for at least 72 hours.

3. If you are a smoker, hold off for as long as possible.  We recommend at the VERY LEAST 72 hours, however the longer the better.  If you smoke before the 72 hour time frame you can experience what is known as a “dry socket” and experience extreme pain.  For more information on the definition, symptoms, causes, and remedies of a dry socket visit: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-socket/basics/definition/con-20025990 

4. Stick to as soft of a diet as possible.  Foods such as mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, ice-cream, Jell-O, applesauce, broth, scrambled/poached eggs, etc.  Avoid anything that can get stuck in the area such as popcorn, peanuts, rice, chips, spicy foods, alcohol, etc.

5. In many cases Ibuprofen is recommended to help subdue discomfort (over the counter Ibuprofen can be used, but in some cases the doctor may write a prescription for a higher dosage of Ibuprofen).  Ibuprofen also acts as an anti-inflammatory so it will help reduce swelling and soreness.

6. Always schedule a follow-up appointment to see your doctor so they can evaluate the extraction site and verify that you are healing accordingly!

**Always be sure to follow your doctors’ specific directions for home care after any type of oral surgery!  Each patient is different and may require further and/or different care instructions!**