Things To Avoid After Implants

To improve the success of your dental implants, there are a few precautions you can take during the recovery process. Good hygiene, cessation from smoking, and adequate rest are among the ways you can ensure that your implants heal properly. An equally important factor to consider is diet. Which foods can be eaten while gum and bone tissue are still healing? Which foods should be avoided?

We want our patients in and around the Decatur area to experience the quickest, easiest recovery possible with dental implants. To this end, we offer the following list of dietary recommendations and restrictions after implant surgery.

Why Is Diet Important?

Dental implants are installed directly into the jaw, meaning they must fuse with the bone tissue. This process of osseointegration takes multiple months, and is necessary to ensure the stability and support of implants. During this time, any stress or pressure exerted upon the implant can hinder its integration or loosen it from the jaw. In the earlier stages of recovery, when gum tissue is still healing, the area is also sensitive and more prone to infection.

For these reasons, it’s important to avoid any foods that may physically disrupt the implant or cause discomfort.

Recommended Diet

Most patients are advised to eat a soft-food diet for the first week of recovery, gradually working up to chewier and harder foods afterward. Although this may restrict one’s normal dietary habits, there are still numerous foods available for each nutritional need. Consider any of the following options as examples of safe food choices:

Grains and starches: Most cooked grains are a good way to avoid hard food. For breakfast, try oatmeal and similarly soft cereals; for lunch or dinner, you can include noodles, soft bread, rice, grits, or mashed potatoes.
Fruits and vegetables: Softer fruits, such as bananas, peaches, nectarines, melons, and all berries are usually good choices when ripe. If you would normally take a bite out of the fruit, remember to cut it into pieces first. Although most raw vegetables are too crunchy for implants, cooked or steamed vegetables are good alternatives, including broccoli, carrots, and squash. Sauces and soups are some of the easiest and safest options of all.
Protein: Red meat and poultry can be tough on implants at first, so they should be consumed sparingly or carefully. Safer options for protein include eggs, fish and seafood, and beans. Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese are also good sources of protein. Couscous and quinoa, while being a wheat and grain, also contain a surprising amount of protein.
Beverages: Water, water, and more water! Staying hydrated is vital to your immune system and overall health, and nothing will keep you hydrated more efficiently than water. Alcohol, on the other hand, should be avoided during recovery.
Dietary Restrictions

Generally, foods that are hard, crunchy, or chewy should be set aside for at least the first week. Not only will they cause discomfort, but they may very likely result in the dental implant’s failure to heal. Here are some examples of what to stay away from:

Hard foods: Many snack foods, such as candies, pretzels, and dried fruit are dangerous for implants. Nuts and raw crunchy vegetables pose a similar risk.
Chewy foods: Anything that requires more than a couple rounds of chewing may cause implants to pull away from gums. Rolls, salads, cookies, gummies, hard fruit, and of course chewing gum are all good examples of this. Unless red meat is thoroughly tenderized or cooked in a stew, it should probably be avoided at first.
Anything that may get stuck in teeth: While all food is likely to leave some particles behind, some are notorious for becoming stuck between teeth and within gums. Popcorn, seeds, and chips are a few examples.  
Particularly hot or cold foods: Unfortunately, very high or low temperatures may cause pain or open the wound. For typically hot meals, allow the food to sit for a bit (it can still be warm) before consuming.
Additionally, do not use a straw with drinks for the first 48 hours, as it may push against and irritate implants.

Dental Crowns

What are Dental Crowns and Tooth Bridges?
Both crowns and most bridges are fixed prosthetic devices. Unlike removable devices such as dentures, which you can take out and clean daily, crowns and bridges are cemented onto existing teeth or implants, and can only be removed by a dentist.



How do Crowns Work?
A crown is used to entirely cover or "cap" a damaged tooth. Besides strengthening a damaged tooth, a crown can be used to improve its appearance, shape or alignment. A crown can also be placed on top of an implant to provide a tooth-like shape and structure for function. Porcelain or ceramic crowns can be matched to the color of your natural teeth. Other materials include gold and metal alloys, acrylic and ceramic. These alloys are generally stronger than porcelain and may be recommended for back teeth. Porcelain bonded to a metal shell is often used because it is both strong and attractive.

Your dentist may recommend a crown to:

Replace a large filling when there isn't enough tooth remaining
Protect a weak tooth from fracturing
Restore a fractured tooth
Attach a bridge
Cover a dental implant
Cover a discolored or poorly shaped tooth
Cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment
How do Bridges Work?
A bridge may be recommended if you're missing one or more teeth. Gaps left by missing teeth eventually cause the remaining teeth to rotate or shift into the empty spaces, resulting in a bad bite. The imbalance caused by missing teeth can also lead to gum disease and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.

Bridges are commonly used to replace one or more missing teeth. They span the space where the teeth are missing. Bridges are cemented to the natural teeth or implants surrounding the empty space. These teeth, called abutments, serve as anchors for the bridge. A replacement tooth, called a pontic, is attached to the crowns that cover the abutments. As with crowns, you have a choice of materials for bridges. Your dentist can help you decide which to use, based on the location of the missing tooth (or teeth), its function, aesthetic considerations and cost. Porcelain or ceramic bridges can be matched to the color of your natural teeth.

How are Crowns and Bridges Made?
Before either a crown or a bridge can be made, the tooth (or teeth) must be reduced in size so that the crown or bridge will fit over it properly. After reducing the tooth/teeth, your dentist will take an impression to provide an exact mold for the crown or bridge. If porcelain is to be used, your dentist will determine the correct shade for the crown or bridge to match the color of your existing teeth.

Using this impression, a dental lab then makes your crown or bridge, in the material your dentist specifies. A temporary crown or bridge will be put in place to cover the prepared tooth while the permanent crown or bridge is being made. When the permanent crown or bridge is ready, the temporary crown or bridge is removed, and the new crown or bridge is cemented over your prepared tooth or teeth.

How Long do Crowns and Bridges Last?
While crowns and bridges can last a lifetime, they do sometimes come loose or fall out. The most important step you can take to ensure the longevity of your crown or bridge is to practice good oral hygiene. A bridge can lose its support if the teeth or bone holding it in place are damaged by dental disease. Keep your gums and teeth healthy by Brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice a day and flossing daily. Also see your dentist and hygienist regularly for checkups and professional cleanings.

To prevent damage to your new crown or bridge, avoid chewing hard foods, ice or other hard objects.

	Full porcelain fused to metal
	Full cast gold crown
	Teeth around the space are prepared
	The bridge is mounted and adjusted for fit and comfort

Dental Braces

If you have crooked teeth and/or a misaligned bite (an underbite or overbite), there are a variety of treatments that can help straighten teeth, including braces and retainers.

Many general dentists are doing basic alignment and orthodontics, but orthodontists specialize in correcting irregularities of the teeth.

The dentist or orthodontist you choose will ask questions about your health, conduct a clinical exam, take impressions of your teeth, take photos of your face and teeth, and order X-rays of the mouth and head. An appropriate treatment plan is made based on analysis of the gathered information.

In some cases, a removable retainer will be all that's necessary. In other rare cases (especially when there is an extreme overbite or underbite), surgery may be necessary. In most cases, however, braces will be needed.

hat Types of Braces Are Available?
If braces are indeed the solution for you, the dentist or orthodontist will prescribe an appliance specific for your needs. The braces may consist of bands, wires, and other fixed or removable corrective appliances. No one method works for everyone.

How Do Braces Work?
In their entirety, braces work by applying continuous pressure over a period of time to slowly move teeth in a specific direction. As the teeth move, the bone changes shape as pressure is applied.