When you are missing an entire arch of teeth, many of the daily tasks that you once found easy feel nearly impossible. This includes things like chewing your food, speaking clearly, and smiling with confidence. The good news is that all-on-4 dental implants are available to help you regain an entire arch of missing teeth at once. If you have your procedure coming up, it’s a good idea to get prepared now. Here’s what you should know about eating and drinking during this time.
Directly After Surgery
After your all-on-4 dental implant placement procedure, you should be especially careful when it comes to eating. You want to give the area a chance to heal so you can get your dental implants the best possible chance of success. You will likely experience some soreness in your mouth, jaw, and throat for a couple of weeks, so you should stick to a very soft diet. Here are some foods you can enjoy during this time:
- Beef, chicken, and vegetable broth
- Pureed vegetable or cream-based soups
- Milkshakes
- Meal replacement shakes
- Ice cream
- Frozen yogurt
2 Weeks to 3 Months After Surgery
After the initial healing period is over, you can transition to soft foods. Since your jaw is still healing and your implants are still fusing to the jawbone, you shouldn’t be applying too much pressure to the implants. It’s important that you avoid foods that are hard, chewy, and crunchy. Here are some items for you to enjoy:
- Scrambled eggs
- Soft cheeses
- Sloppy joe meat
- Chili
- Hummus
- Tofu
- Soft breads
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Oatmeal
- Mashed potatoes
3 Tips for Your All-on-4 Recovery Period
- Invest in a high-quality blender or food processer. During the first few weeks of your recovery, you can enjoy more flavors and foods if you have the ability to turn them into a liquid/very soft texture. This way, you won’t aggravate the healing site.
- Plan ahead of time. By shopping beforehand, you can stock up on all the foods you need to remain comfortable during the healing period.
- Get plenty of rest. When you get quality sleep, your body will be able to bounce back more quickly.
For additional advice during your recovery, reach out to your oral surgeon. By sticking to the food above and being patient, you will be showing off a complete smile in just a matter of time!
About the Practice
At Northen Virginia Oral, Maxillofacial & Implant Surgery, we have a team of board-certified oral surgeons serving patients in the Alexandria community. If you are interested in replacing your missing teeth with all-on-4 dental implants, they would be happy to help. For more information about all-on-4, or to schedule a consultation, visit their website or call (571) 777-6501.