Dental implants are a permanent way to restore missing teeth you may have. If you are sick of having gaps or wearing dentures, this is a path you may want to look into. The good news is that implants have a high success rate—as high as 98%! While your success rate may depend on your current health, there's much to be said for proper aftercare. You'll want to follow your dentist's instructions to the letter and keep these tips in mind.

Avoid Certain Activities Until You are Completely Healed

People who smoke have a harder time healing after this procedure since cigarette chemicals can constrict blood vessels and weaken bone density. However, if quitting the habit isn't on your agenda, then just taking a break can be enough to substantially increase your success rates. Your dentist will likely ask you to stop smoking for just a few weeks before and after your surgery so that your body can adequately heal.

Besides taking a break from smoking, you'll want to take a break from physical activity for the first few days after surgery. For instance, if you were to lift weights, you could end up clenching your teeth which is really bad for proper healing. Exercise can also increase blood flow and encourage increased swelling and bleeding, when you really need to rest and heal.

Follow Diet Restrictions

You should avoid straws and hard or sticky foods. The suction from a straw can cause dry sockets; this is where blood clots become dislodged before full healing has taken place. Dry sockets can expose bone and cause pain. Small pieces of food can also become lodged in the sockets, setting you up for infection. Your dentist may have you on a soft diet during the first few days after surgery. Foods like eggs, mashed potatoes, soup, broth, or hot cereal are great options.

You may want to boost your protein intake with whey protein shakes since this can help osseointegration. Osseointegration is where the implant completely fuses to the bone; this often four to six months. If you aren't getting enough nutrients or you start chewing hard foods, this can cause the nonunion of bone and implant failure.

Take Care of Oral Hygiene, But Be Gentle

You may be tempted to scrub the surgery site roughly to keep it clean—don't do that! Again, you could dislodge blood clots. Your dentist will likely prescribe a mouth rinse to keep the area clean after eating. You may also be allowed to brush your other teeth gently.

Expect Some Discomfort for the First Few Days

It's very normal to have a sore throat, some mild bleeding, bruising, soreness, and nausea after surgery. All of these symptoms should get better each day after surgery.

Ask your dentist about OTC painkillers that will work for you if you are in pain or feeling nauseous. Opening and closing your mouth slowly and massaging your muscles can help relieve the pain of stiff jaw muscles. Aquaphor or Vaseline can help you ease any pain you may be experiencing on your lips. If you are bleeding, place a gauze pack over the site and gently bite down. If you are pretty swollen, use an ice pack at intermittent periods for the first 24 hours after surgery.

If you experience heavy bleeding, a fever, or other serious symptoms, contact your dentist ASAP. The trend should be continued healing, so if you are feeling worse after a few days, you'll want to make sure the implant site isn't infected.

Talk with a dentist in your local area for more information on recovering from dental implants. If you keep these instructions in mind, you'll increase your odds of a successful procedure.