In our office, placing dental implants is a procedure we perform on a regular basis to permanently replace teeth, and we use sedation to make sure that you are comfortable during the procedure. Sedation is wonderful because it lets you relax and stay in a happy place, rather than being worried or having anxiety about the procedure. The type of sedation we offer depends on your tolerance for discomfort and how many implants you are having placed. In this scenario, you may be put to sleep or get so drowsy that you nod off, comfortably resting until we are done. That's the good news.
The bad news is that in any surgical procedure, you are going to have a recovery process and some level of discomfort while you heal at home. By preparing for what happens after dental implant surgery, the time can pass with you feeling relatively relaxed and comfortable. We recommend that you ask someone with good driving skills, and a comfy car, to pick you up and drive you home. Since you will feel slightly disoriented after anesthesia, this will allow you to get home and in bed while you are sleepy enough to fall back asleep. Make sure that your bed is set up with extra pillows so that you can lounge at an incline rather than flat on your back. Pull up the blankets, fall asleep, or watch a movie in bed and the day will be over before you know it.
You should also set up an area near your bed with water, pain medication, gauze, and ice packs. It helps if you have someone that can bring you ice packs when you need it but if not, buy several so that you can rotate through them without waiting for them to freeze every time. You can apply the ice for fifteen minutes at a time throughout the day and night so that the swelling goes down and the discomfort with it. You should also plan on having some soft foods available to eat like room temperature soup and yogurt. Being careful after dental implant surgery is important so wait to eat anything hard or sharp for several weeks. We will give you specific advice on what you can and can't eat based on how many implants you had placed and where they are located. Within 48 hours, you should start to feel better and be able to head out and enjoy life while your teeth and gums finish the natural healing process.
