Dental implants are a great way to restore your smile and replace missing teeth. Implants can be used to replace single tooth or multiple teeth using several strategically placed restorations. Implants are durable and long-lasting, with most patients having their implants for decades without showing signs of wear. The procedure to place your new dental implants involves creating an incision through the gums and inserting the post of the titanium implant deep into the jawbone. Over the course of just several months, the implant will actually bond with the bone and become a permanent part of your smile.
Is Coffee Okay After Implant Surgery?
After implant surgery, your gums are healing from having an incision made through them. It is vitally important that you avoid drinking hot coffee, tea or hot chocolate after the procedure itself for up to two or three days. The heat of the coffee can cause increased bleeding, which could be a problem for the surgical site and its ability to heal. If you must have your morning cup of Joe, be sure to let it cool down significantly before you drink any of it. The same can be said about hot foods like soups, broths or potatoes.
How to Care for Your New Implants
The best way to care for your new dental implants is to keep your mouth clean and to avoid hard, crunchy or sticky foods. It’s often recommended to stick to a soft food diet for about two weeks following surgery. This gives the gums more than enough time to heal and to prevent the implant from becoming dislodged. Some of the foods that you’ll want to avoid immediately following dental implant placement include:
- Hard, crusty breads
- Hot coffee, teas and soups
- Popcorn, chips and hard pretzels
- Gummy or sticky candy
- Hard fruits and veggies
Some minor pain and swelling are normal after implant surgery. This is to be expected, as it is your body’s way of reacting to the incision and work that has been done. However, if you experience severe pain and swelling following surgery or weeks after an implant was placed, it is important to be right away for any post-operative complications. For the most part, the majority of patients who come in for dental implants experience no problems and can go back to eating and drinking their favorite things in no time.
If you’d like to learn more about how to care for dental implants, call us today to talk to one of our professional team members.