Dental implants: what to expect after they are fitted

When you have had dental implants St. Albans fitted, you may be wondering what the next stages in the process are and what you can expect as they fuse. So, let’s have a look at what our team at the UK Dental Specialists have observed post-fitting in our patients and how you can maintain them.

Soreness and swelling

You have just undertaken a minor form of surgery, and so, you can expect that your gums and jaw will feel sore for a while.

But it is abnormal to experience excessive discomfort after you have had dental implants St. Albans fitted, and this could point to an underlying issue with the implant or the gum. It is highly unlikely that your implant will become infected, but it is worth checking around the implant site each day for signs of excessive swelling, soreness, reddening, pus and a bad taste.

Try to note each day whether you are feeling well since in some rare cases, dental infections may only present with lethargy, nausea and fever, all of which require urgent medical attention. If left untreated, a dental infection can lead to sepsis, a life-threatening condition, so don’t risk it.

Cleaning

To minimise the chance of the implant becoming infected, you will need to keep the site free from debris and bacteria that can accumulate due to food.

Rather than bruising around your newly fitted implant with a brush, we recommend using water to gently loosen and remove debris from the inflamed gums.

During the first few weeks after an oral implant fitting, you will need to see our team for checkups, and only after we state that it is OK should you return to cleaning your teeth and the implant itself with a brush.

Discomfort

After surgery, there is always a chance that the site will hurt, and you should be prepared for this after the fitting of oral implants.

We usually recommend that our patients sleep with their heads slightly elevated at night to minimise bruising while also taking over-the-counter pain relievers to manage discomfort. It is also worth investing in an ice pack to press against your face if the area around your implant site feels sore.

If you are taking over-the-counter pain relievers, please avoid medications like ibuprofen, which can thin the blood and worsen bruising and swelling.

Checkups

Our team will need to see you multiple times over the next few months once your implants are fitted to check that you are alright, that the implant site is not infected and that the implants are fusing correctly.

It is highly unlikely that an issue will occur with your implants during this period, but even so, it is still necessary for you to attend these checkups so that our dentist and implantation team can check on the fusing process of the implant.

If you would like to learn more about how dental implants St. Albans may benefit you or a member of your family, please call our surgery today.