An Implant Dentist in Livermore CA Explains What to Expect After Surgery

As an implant dentist in Livermore CA, we will give you a set of instructions to follow that will allow you to care for your new implants and will also give you a sense of what to expect. Immediately following the surgery, you will need to spend some time in recovery. This will allow your mouth to start the healing process, and the rest of your body will also need to recover since there is a recovery time after getting anesthesia. It is critical that, immediately following the surgery, you start to takes steps that will speed along the healing process and will do nothing to disturb the site of the implant.

Dental implants are an easy to manage surgery, making the recovery process quick and uncomplicated if you follow the instructions given to you at the end of the procedure. We will ensure that you have all the information you need before you leave, but if you do have questions we encourage you to call us so that we can explain things to you in depth. It is important to remember that dental implant surgery is a surgery, so you must take steps to prevent infection, keep the area clean, and be aware of the recovery process.

The most important thing you can do to help recover quickly is to make sure that you do not disturb the site of the surgery at all for at least the first 48 hours. This means keeping your tongue, and especially your fingers away from the site. Touching the implant with your fingers could introduce an infection, which we want to avoid. As an implant dentist in Livermore CA, we will typically prescribe an antibiotic medicine for you to take after the surgery. You will begin taking this within 24 hours of the surgery and continue until the antibiotics are gone. It is important to take the full course of antibiotics and to follow a strict regimen to ensure that no infections can set in.

Keeping the site clean is critical, which is why we may also prescribe an oral rinse. This medicated rinse will help wash the site and should be used in conjunction with salt water. Both of these will help the wound to heal while working to prevent any kind of an infection. It is important that you maintain oral hygiene, as normal. Continue to brush your teeth as you would normally, but avoid the site of the implant until it is completely healed. Do not brush the stitches - the salt water and antibiotic will work to disinfect these areas.

You can expect some level of bleeding, so please do not be alarmed. For the first twenty-four hours, there is likely to be blood mixed with your saliva. We recommend that you bite down gently on gauze, which we will provide, to help control and lessen the blood flow. The bleeding will typically stop after the first day. There is also going to be a level of discomfort that you can easily control with over the counter pain medications such as Advil, Motrin, or Tylenol. As an implant dentist in Livermore CA, we are always available to answer questions should you have further concerns after your treatment.