Post Dental Implant Care Instructions

Posted on 08/15/2025

Our team at West Gate Dental loves seeing how dental implants transform people’s smiles. When you have one or more missing teeth, a dental implant might be just what you need to feel confident smiling again. To help you prepare for the procedure, our family dentist Lincoln, NE residents trust, wants you to know these simple after-care instructions.

Use Ice Packs to Ease Discomfort and Swelling

The procedure we use to place dental implants in your jaw can cause some post-surgical discomfort and swelling. You can ease this swelling by placing ice packs on the outside of your cheeks where we placed the dental implants.

Choose the best dentist in Lincoln, NE, to ensure that your procedure is comfortable and provides high-quality results.

Apply Gentle Pressure With Sterile Gauze

After the dental implant placement, you might have some light bleeding from your gums. We’ll provide you with sterile gauze that you can hold in your mouth between your cheeks and the surgical site.

We may also show you how to gently bite down to hold the gauze in place. Once any bleeding stops, you can remove the gauze to continue healing.

Stick to a Soft Food Diet

Some post-dental implant procedure soreness is normal. You’ll also want to avoid putting too much pressure on the newly placed posts. Sticking to a soft food diet helps you feel more comfortable while allowing your mouth to heal.

In most cases, you’ll follow a soft food diet for the first couple of days after your implant procedure. Then, you can slowly add other foods to your meals as you tolerate them. Scrambled eggs, soups, and smoothies are a few of our favorites at West Gate Dental. 

Restart Your Oral Hygiene Routine

On the first day of your surgery, you’ll want to avoid doing too much with the surgical site to prevent causing injuries or infection. Once you are ready to resume brushing, you’ll want to use soft, gentle movements to clean the area.

Visit the best dentist in Lincoln, NE, to learn more about how to brush and floss your new dental implants. Sticking to a good oral hygiene routine gives you the best chances of a successful smile makeover.

Attend Your Follow-Up Appointment at West Gate Dental

The healing phase after getting dental implants can take somewhere between three and nine months. When you schedule your surgery, we’ll let you know when to come back for your follow-up visit with our family dentist in Lincoln, NE. During this visit, we’ll check your healing progress and discuss your next steps for improving your smile.

Find Out If You’re a Candidate for Dental Implants

Having missing teeth or dealing with severe tooth decay can make it hard to eat and speak comfortably. Reach out to our team today to meet with the best dentist in Lincoln, NE. We’ll set you up with a full oral health evaluation and provide you with a personalized treatment plan that addresses all of your needs.