If there is one thing to know about any type of surgery, it's that preparation is key. While dental implant surgery may not be as serious as procedures like open-heart surgery, preparation is still critical.
The tricky thing about dental implant surgery is that it's traditionally done in two parts. The first part of the procedure involves surgically implanting a metal screw into your jaw bone which will act as an anchor for your dental crown. If your jawbone doesn't fuse around the screw, then the implant will fail, and you will have to find another procedure or start from scratch. To help ensure that the first step does work and that everything is successful, here are a few things you can do to prepare.
Get Dental X-Rays
Most dentists will conduct a variety of different tests to ensure that your jawbone is going to be strong enough for a dental implant. Getting dental x-rays is one of the greatest ways for your dentist to check your candidacy. By getting an in-depth look at your jawbone, your dentist should be able to identify if there are any areas of concerns or if you are good to move forward with surgery
Avoid Blood Thinners
Being on a blood thinner for a heart condition is something that you will want to talk to your dentist and doctor about. Why? Prescription-strength blood thinners can sometimes disrupt surgeries and cause a lot of bleeding, swelling, and bruising. If you can't get off of the blood thinner, your dentist will still be able to work with you.
Another blood thinner that people use regularly and that can interfere with surgery is Ibuprofen. Although ibuprofen is an over-the-counter medication, it can still lead to similar side effects as prescription-strength thinners, so make sure to consult your dentist about whether or not they're okay to take.
Get Soft Food
Chewing soft food while you are recovering from a dental implant procedure will help reduce pain and discomfort at the surgical site. For the first day or two following surgery, you may want to keep to a strict diet full of softer foods like smoothies, acai bowls, mashed potatoes or cauliflower, and soft meats like shredded chicken.
Are you interested in learning a little bit more about dental implants and how you can prepare for them? If so, then reach out to a provider near you and schedule a consultation with them.
Our oral surgery and general dental website offers important information on how to prevent dry socket following a tooth extraction. After getting your tooth pulled, a protective blood clot develops over the extraction site. Many of our blog posts explain how this protective clot helps promote healing after an extraction.
You'll learn that if the clot is accidentally dislodged, dry socket may occur, which can raise your risk for infection and heavy bleeding. We'll provide you with important tips on how to prevent this by avoiding smoking and drinking through a straw. You'll also learn that swishing water around your mouth should be avoided for a couple of days following your extraction because doing so creates a suction that may dislodge your clot, leading to dry socket.