Great news! You have made the decision to say goodbye to your dentures and embrace the wonderful opportunity of dental implants. One very important thing to keep in mind is that you will need to prepare for the procedures and plan for the recovery.

Your dentist will be able to advise you on exactly how long it will take from start to finish to have your dental implant installed. They will also help you plan for the recovery period and let you know all of the steps you need to take for you to have the perfect smile that you have wanted for many years.

1. Make an appointment with your dentist

This is the obvious first step in the process. You need to be approved for the surgery. Your dentist will make a dental exam and make sure that your jaw health is strong enough to manage the procedure. You should take this time to ask all of the questions that you have about the procedure. Typically, the more a patient knows the more relaxed they’ll be. S don’t be shy during the initial discussion.

2. Listen carefully to the dentist

You should answer any questions the dentist asks you. This includes being forthcoming with any pre-existing health complaints or conditions. Having any conditions will probably not mean that you are unable to have implants, it just means that you will need different medications post surgery.

3. Learn all that you can about the procedure

Being prepared for the surgery is very important, it is good mental preparation to know what is going to happen before, during and after the procedure. You can even ask your dentist to walk you through it ahead of time if you want them to. Usually, the procedure for a tooth implant will go as follows.

• Damaged tooth/teeth are removed
• Your jawbone will be prepared for surgery.
• The healing period for your jawbone begins
• Finally, your surgeon will place the abutment, this is what the dentist will attach your new artificial tooth too.

4. Understand what to expect during the recovery period

You should expect a little bit of discomfort during the initial recovery period, just like any other dental work. It is normal for swelling to occur around your gums, face and jaw. You can look forward to a steady reduction in the swelling and discomfort. If you experience anything but improvement as the days go on, you should get visit your dentist for a checkup. It’s probably nothing to worry about, as everyone heals at a different pace, but it is always good to check in.

5. Know what you need to avoid during your recovery

There are certain activities that should be avoided in the first few days of your recovery. Exercise should be avoided as this will only increase blood flow and slow down the reduction in swelling. You should not smoke at any point during your recovery. You need to give your body as much help as possible as it recovers and the last thing that you want is to make your body work harder to heal.

You should only eat soft foods until your mouth has fully healed. You should make sure that you are eating a balanced diet full of nutrients and vitamins so that your body has the fuel it needs to heal quickly.

You should also keep an eye on pets and small children. The last thing that you want is your nephew to accidentally hit you in the jaw as that would be very unpleasant and could even interrupt the healing process.