For patients who are missing teeth and looking for a permanent solution, dental implants are the best option. An implant acts just like a real tooth, preventing bone loss and protecting the surrounding teeth and gum tissue. However, the only way to place dental implants involves oral surgery, and that can be intimidating for many patients. The dentists at Kaimuki Dental Group LLP, in Honolulu, HI, understand your concerns and have suggestions to make your dental implant surgery successful.

Here are three ways to prepare and care for dental implants:

• Maintain Oral Hygiene: Brushing and flossing are essential to the success of your dental implant surgery. If you don’t take care of your teeth and gums, the tissue around the implant could swell, causing it to fail.  Visit your dentist more often — four times a year — to prepare for and maintain healthy implants.

• Follow Nutrition & Hydration Requirements: How much you eat and drink before your surgery depends on the type of sedation you’ve chosen. For local anesthesia, there are no restrictions on eating or drinking. If your dentist is administering IV sedation, avoid eating or drinking for at least eight hours before the procedure. This is will minimize nausea after the procedure is complete.

• Prepare For Rest, Rest, & More Rest: After surgery, plan to spend that day — and maybe the next — at home to rest and recover. Your dentist most likely will give you pain medication that you can use if necessary, but you will want to have ice packs on hand to help reduce swelling. You also should stock up on soft foods like yogurt, oatmeal, and protein shakes.

For cosmetic dentistry procedures like dental implants, crowns, and veneers, visit the caring staff at Kaimuki Dental Group LLP. They specialize in restorative and preventative dentistry services, and they believe in preserving, protecting and maintaining your natural teeth. Call (808) 737-7905 or go online to make an appointment.