When Your Body Attacks Your Teeth: Combating Autoimmune Dental Problems

How To Prepare For Dental Implant Surgery

Are you thinking about having a dental implant surgery, but you are not sure about the measures you need to take? When getting dental implants, you want to ensure that the procedure goes as planned, and you experience a successful recovery. Dental implants can be done in one surgical procedure or involve several procedures over several months. Here are some preparations that will help you through the entire process.

Dental Examination

Have your dentist conduct a comprehensive dental examination before scheduling your dental implant surgery. A dental examination entails X-rays, reviewing medical records, and visual inspection. Based on the observations made during the dental examination, your dentist can recommend the appropriate dental procedures. They can also advise you on any measures you need to take before dental implant surgery.

Jaw Preparation

Soft jawbones can hardly support dental implants. Also, if you've had a missing tooth for a while, your jaw structure cannot support a procedure. To resolve this challenge, your dentist can perform a bone graft. They can also reshape your jaw by removing some bone, especially when it's too large. After the procedure, your dentist will advise that you let your jaw heal to have smooth dental implant surgery.

Watch Your Diet

It is crucial that you watch what you eat before the surgery. It would be best if you eat the last meal at night, on the eve of the surgery. Also, ensure that you are only eating light meals. This helps ease pain during surgery. 

Take Antibiotics if Prescribed

Your dentist may prescribe some medications before the dental implant surgery. They may also recommend that you take immunosuppressant drugs to ensure that your body reacts well with the implant. There are some instances where your body may resist the dental implants and result in further complications. Antibiotics will help strengthen your immune system. People with chronic illness are advised to take antibiotics before and after a dental implant surgery.

Changing Certain Habits

If you smoke, you might want to stop smoking weeks before the dental implant surgery. Certain habits like smoking may delay your healing process after the dental procedure.  It's also advisable that you consult your dentist to find out if you are viable for dental implant surgery. Based on the assessment they will make during the dental examination, they can let you know if you are fit to have dental implants.

Dental implant surgery can be an effective life-transforming dental procedure. However, ensure that you are thoroughly prepared before undertaking one, and get proper after-care to quicken your recovery process.


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