Looking after your dental implants

What matters in the first few days after the procedure?

Swelling, bruising and pain are normal after an implant has been placed. The pain usually lasts up to a week.

These tips help in the first few days:

• If it bleeds, place a clean rolled-up handkerchief over the wound and bite down firmly for at least 30 minutes.
• For the first 6 hours, apply something cold for about 10 minutes every hour, wrapped in a cloth and never directly on the skin.
• Take painkillers as your dentist advises, ideally before the anaesthetic wears off.
• Do not drink alcohol for the first 24 hours.
• You can usually eat normally, though soft food is often recommended for the first few days.
• Do not smoke, and ideally stop for good.

If you wear a removable denture, you may not be able to wear it for a while. Ask your dentist about this before the procedure.

How should you clean your mouth in the first week?

Do not brush the treated area for about a week. Brush your other teeth as usual.

An antibacterial mouthwash containing chlorhexidine is often recommended during this time. Use it exactly as your dentist tells you.

A follow-up appointment usually takes place after one to two weeks. Your dentist checks how the wound is healing and removes the stitches.

How do you look after implants day to day?

You clean an implant in much the same way as a natural tooth. An implant cannot get tooth decay, but the gum around it can become inflamed.

For daily cleaning:

• Brush your teeth twice a day, once of them last thing at night.
• Clean carefully around the implant every day with interdental brushes.
• Pay particular attention to where the gum meets the implant.
• Where interdental brushes do not fit, floss can help.

At your hygiene appointment in the practice, you can be shown which brush size suits the gaps between your teeth.

Why do check-ups and professional cleaning matter?

Plaque and tartar on an implant cannot always be removed fully at home. That is why regular check-ups and professional cleaning are part of aftercare.

At a check-up, the gum, crown and implant are examined. X-rays can show inflammation around the implant at an early stage.

How often you should come depends on your oral health and is decided individually. If you like, we can remind you of your next appointment by text message.

How can you tell if you have peri-implantitis?

Peri-implantitis is inflammation of the tissue around an implant. It is caused by bacteria, usually when plaque builds up around the implant.

If left untreated, it can damage the jawbone. The implant may then become loose or be lost. In the early stages it often goes unnoticed.

Possible signs include:

• red, sore or swollen gums around the implant
• bleeding around the implant
• bad breath
• itching around the implant

Besides poor oral hygiene, smoking, stress and hormonal changes can also make peri-implantitis more likely. Treatment depends on how severe it is and, in advanced cases, may need surgery.

How long does a dental implant last?

Nobody can promise a fixed lifespan. However, implants that are well cared for often last a very long time.

What matters most is thorough cleaning at home, regular check-ups and getting anything unusual checked quickly.