After your New Teeth Now dental implant procedure, your implants will require a 6-month healing phase to allow time for the implants to properly fuse with your jaw. A soft diet is recommended during this process. After 6 months, your implants should be fully healed and your permanent Zirconia teeth will be placed. At this time you can return to your normal diet. Here are some tips on what to eat in the months following dental implant surgery.
Post-Operative Food Suggestions
- Eggs
- Sausage
- Pasta
- Meatloaf
- Potatoes
- Fish
- Lean Beef
- Tender chicken
- Macaroni
- Soft bread/rolls
- Cooked vegetables
- Beef stroganoff
- Cottage cheese
- Pudding
- Yogurt
- Baked apples
- Pancakes
- French toast
- Biscuits & gravy
Diabetic Options
- Brown rice
- Whole wheat pasta
- Oatmeal
- Eggs
- Tofu
- Turkey
- Fish
- Tender or pulled pork
- Cooked beans
- All-natural peanut butter
- Chicken breast
- Cooked Vegetables
- Soft, fresh fruit
- Sugar-free applesauce
- Spinach, kale, & smoothies
- Low-fat yogurt
- Low-fat cottage cheese
Foods to Avoid
- Chips
- Pretzels
- Nuts
- Croutons
- Chewy breads
- Hard taco shells
- Raw apples
- Raw Carrots
- Ice cubes
- Steaks or chewy meats
- Salad lettuce
- Sticky Candies
Maintain this rule: “If I can easily cut it with a plastic fork, I can eat it.”
Why do I need to avoid certain foods during the healing phase?
- Healing Implants – Chewy foods, such as steak, or foods that require force to bite into, such as an apple, can cause too much pressure to be applied to implants in the healing process. After they’ve fully bound to the jawbone, they’ll be ready to withstand the pressure of most foods.
- Acrylic teeth – You will be fitted with acrylic teeth for temporary use until your implants have healed. The acrylic material is ideal for custom fitting and adjustments, but can’t hold up under great pressure. Hard and chewy foods can cause acrylic teeth to break. After your healing phase, you will be fitted with Zirconia teeth that can handle much greater chewing force.
- Gaps – During the healing process the shape of your gums will transform slightly, creating small gaps between the acrylic teeth and your gums. Food with small, loose pieces such as popcorn are at risk of getting stuck and causing infection. Once your implants have fully fused to your jawbone, your gum line will likely remain consistent and your Zirconia teeth will be custom-fitted without gaps.
Home Care and Oral Hygiene
Proper home care is essential for proper healing as well as long term stability of the final prosthetics.
FOR THE FIRST FOUR WEEKS FOLLOWING SURGERY
Beginning the day after surgery – use a soft bristled toothbrush and the toothpaste of your choice to brush the hybrids twice per day. Use a light saltwater rinse to flush water between the hybrids and the gum tissue. This should be done after meals and any other time that you would like. The solution should just barely taste of salt – use the taste of tears rather than the ocean as a guide.
FOLLOWING THE FIRST MONTH OF HEALING
The saltwater rinses may be discontinued at this time. Begin using a WaterPik® at this time. The pressure should be set to the lowest setting to begin – increase the pressure as it is comfortable to do so. The water jet should be applied between the hybrid and the gum tissue on both the front and back sides of the hybrids. This should be done at least once per day.
