2 Ways To Care For Your Mouth After Screw And Plate Implant Surgery

Posted on: 18 February 2015

If you have to get screw and plate implant surgery in order to correct bite problems, then your mouth will take several weeks to recover from the trauma. In order to help your mouth heal properly, follow these steps.

Proper Cleaning Techniques

First, you need to properly clean your mouth after this type of cosmetic surgery because bacteria can collect in the stitches. When you get screws and plates implanted into your jaw, they will usually be placed up in your cheekbone area through the upper gums. 

When this happens, the surgeon has to stitch around the screws that are sticking out of your gums so that your gums will not continue to bleed and be open. Even with the stitches closing the gums up, you still need to clean the gums.

To do this, start by swishing lightly with apple cider vinegar a couple of times a day. This is a great way to clean your stitches and gums without causing too much pain. Just make sure that you do not swish too vigorously at first because this can pull on the stitches.

Also, make sure that you use a water pick on your gums to wash away food and particles that may be stuck. Sometimes even lightly swishing will not allow the food to release from your stitches, so take this second precaution so that an infection does not occur.

Lastly, try to brush with toothpaste that contains hydrogen peroxide since this is also another way to keep the gums clean. Hydrogen will not burn your gums, so it is a safe and effective way to clean your mouth after eating each meal.

Cold Compresses and Ice

Second, you need to keep cold compresses or ice around the surgical incisions for a couple of days following surgery to help with the swelling. While big incisions do not have to be made, the trauma can still cause your face to swell and hurt. 

Use an ice pack or compress on your cheeks a few times a day, and try to eat cool foods that will help the blood vessels to constrict again so that they are not so enlarged. This will help your mouth to heal and to return to its normal shape.

By incorporating proper cleaning techniques and using cold compresses to constrict the veins, your mouth will heal properly so that the dentist can adjust your jaw accordingly with the screws and plates. For more information about recovering from dental surgery, contact a clinic such as Centre Family Dentistry.

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