Dental implants are one of the most effective ways to improve a smile with missing or severely damaged teeth. However, implants do require complex oral surgery, which means some patients might experience pain while they recover. Luckily though, there are plenty of effective ways to manage this pain. Read on to learn how to cope with pain after dental implants.
Stick To Your Pain-Management Plan
Before you get your oral surgery, you will be given care instructions for your recovery. This will include a lot of information on pain management. Consult these instructions and make sure you follow them exactly to stay comfortable during recovery.
Stick to Soft Foods
After surgery, stick to a soft-food diet. This will help you protect your surgery site and also reduce your pain. Foods like yogurt, oatmeal, and mashed potatoes are all good choices, whereas protein shakes and smoothies are great liquid-only options. Just make sure to eat these with spoons, avoiding chewing and sucking motions. These can impact your healing.
Take Your Rest Seriously
After surgery, it’s important to have downtime. Your body has been through a lot, and it needs proper rest in order to bounce back strong. Make sure you have plenty of time to rest, and also make sure your bedroom or resting area is comfortable. If you’re dealing with a lot of pain, then try resting with cold compresses on the lower part of your face. This will not only help with pain, but also reduce your bruising and/or swelling.
Talk to Your Dentist
Of course, mild pain after implant surgery is perfectly normal and expected. However, the pain should get better as time goes on. If your pain suddenly gets worse, or if you notice signs of infection, then see your dentist or oral surgeon. They can examine the implant sites and make sure everything is healing normally.
Implant Care in Cypress, TX
The Smile Artisans are here to help you get a healthy, beautiful smile. We work with implant patients across the Houston area at all stages of their dental implant journeys. We can answer your questions, whether you’ve just started researching implants or need a check-up on the implants you’ve had for years. Call us today to learn more.