You’ve thought long and hard about how you want to replace your missing teeth, and after considering all your options, you’ve chosen dental implants. Your dentist gives you the green light to proceed with your treatment and you’ve schedule dental implant surgery in Richardson with an oral surgeon. As excited as you are to replace your missing teeth with the next best thing, it’s important that you’re prepared for dental implant placement. Here are a few key things to keep in mind to prepare for dental implant surgery.
Talk to Your Oral Surgeon & Dentist About Pre-Op Instructions
In nearly every case, you’ll meet with the oral surgeon who will be performing your implant placement procedure beforehand for a consultation. During this appointment, they’ll walk you through what exactly to expect for dental implant surgery, including what you need to do before your appointment and what you should do afterwards. Different professionals will have different instructions, and they will tailor their guidance based on your unique situation, so be sure to adhere to what they ask. They will also likely give you a print-out sheet of all this important information as well so you don’t have to worry about memorizing it all. If you’re unclear about any of your instructions, your oral surgeon will be happy to take the time to answer your questions.
Follow Any Dietary Restrictions
Most patients will be sedated during their dental implant surgery to ensure maximum comfort. Depending on which type of sedation you’ll be using, you may need to avoid eating after a certain time or refrain from certain foods.
It’s also a good idea to stock up on foods to eat after implant surgery beforehand, so you don’t have to worry about it when you’re recovering. Be sure to get plenty of soft, nutritious foods like yogurt, bananas, mashed potatoes, and applesauce.
Arrange Transportation & Working Availability Ahead of Time
Regardless of what type of dental sedation you use during your dental implant surgery, it’s a good idea to have a trusted friend or family member drive you home. You’ll likely feel very tired after your surgery and your mouth will be sensitive, so it’s best to have someone else who can fully concentrate on the road drive you home. Additionally, you should plan on taking at least 24 hours to rest and recover from dental implant surgery. Many patients feel ready to get back to work after a day or so, but it’s not uncommon to need up to a week to feel completely back to normal.
Dental implants are a potentially life-changing way to rebuild your smile after tooth loss. As excited as you should be for them, make sure you slow down and take the time to prepare for dental implant surgery. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call your Richardson dentist!
About the Practice
At Shwarts Family Dentistry in Richardson, we treat every patient like family. That means we only want the absolute best for you, which is why we offer state-of-the-art dental implants and partner with the best local implant specialists for their placement. We’ll be with you every step of the way on your journey towards a new smile to ensure it goes as smoothly as possible! To learn more, we can be reached online or at (972) 525-9283.