Dental Education Lecture: Instructions After the Uncovering of Implants

Remember  Treat your implants as you would your natural teeth. Make sure that there is even pressure on your teeth when biting. If you experience extra force on your implant tooth, please contact us immediately for an adjustment.  Otherwise, you could lose osseointegration of the implant.

Hygiene   For a few days, the gum tissue around the implant may be tender.  This is normal.  After 24 hours, use a Q-tip saturated with Listerine or Peridex to gently clean the gum tissue and the abutment until you can comfortably brush the area with your toothbrush.

             If you have a transitional crown over the abutment do not floss this area as it may loosen the transitional crown; however, you may brush the area.

Discomfort Most patients do not have discomfort after this procedure; however if you do, take your usual pain medications, i.e. Advil, Tylenol, etc. as directed.

Diet      Eat your normal diet as soon as your gingival tenderness is gone.

  If you have a transitional crown, avoid "sticky" foods such as taffy, chewing gum, caramels, etc. as these foods may loosen or remove the crown.

Sutures   If you have sutures, they will dissolve in 5-7 days unless you were instructed to return for their removal.

Next Appointment     We will take impression for final restorations.

Concerns   If you have any concerns with your transitional crown loosening or coming off, please contact us at 770-814-2212.

                        In the unlikely event that your abutment (the titanium metal attachment) comes loose or out, replace it with finger pressure and contact us so that we can retap the abutment into the implant. Try not to remove the abutment entirely from the implant, since your tissue will quickly close the opening requiring an additional surgical procedure.

Xin Wei, DDS, PhD, MS 1st edition 02/14/2009, last revision 09/28/2012