5 minute read

 

Replacing missing or severely damaged teeth with dental implants can help you enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods again. However, before you sink your teeth into that juicy steak, it’s important to give your mouth time to heal and your new teeth time to adjust.

 

Eating well during your recovery from All-on-4® implant surgery means choosing a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals while avoiding excess pressure on your implants by sticking to liquid and soft foods in the first 8 to 12 weeks after surgery. Following your dentist’s dietary guidance can help minimise discomfort, reduce the risk of implant failure or other complications, and give your implants the best chance of long-term success.

 

Read this guide for tips on what to eat, what to avoid, recipe ideas, and other advice to support a smooth recovery. For personalised advice about All-on-4® implants and recovery, contact our friendly team at Mount Lawley Dental today.

 

Contact us

 

Liquid diet: First 1–3 days after surgery

Your All-on-4® bridge will usually be fitted within 1 to 3 days after your implant surgery. While you’re waiting, it’s important to stick to a healthy liquid diet and drink plenty of fluids to support healing.

Nutritious liquid options include:

• Soups and broths
• Fruit and vegetable smoothies
• Yoghurt
• Protein drinks
• Meal replacement shakes

For the first 24 hours, try to avoid very hot or very cold drinks (like tea, coffee, or iced beverages). Also steer clear of spicy or sticky foods, as well as alcohol, for the first three days.

 

Once your new teeth are fitted, you can begin enjoying soft foods as you gradually adjust.

 

Soft diet: First 8–12 weeks after surgery

Once your dentist has fitted your All-on-4® bridge, you’ll be able to start chewing food again. To protect your healing implants and give your mouth time to recover, it’s best to begin with soft foods.

A soft diet can still be varied and enjoyable — simply choose foods that are cooked until they’re tender and easy to chew, so you can eat comfortably without putting extra pressure on your implants.

 

There are many ways of preparing soft foods, including:

• Boiling
• Steaming
• Poaching
• Mashing
• Pureeing
• Mincing
• Cooking in soups, stews or curries
• Combining with gravies or sauces

It can take between 3 and 6 months for the jaw to fully integrate with dental implants. Your dentist will check your progress during your 4-week, 3-month and 6-month follow-up appointments and advise when it’s the right time to introduce harder foods again. For more dental implant diet and nutrition tips, call our team on (08) 9227 8777.

 

Call us

 

Things to avoid while you heal

To give your implants the best chance of success and help your mouth heal comfortably, your dentist will recommend avoiding:

 

• Hard, tough, chewy, crunchy, or sticky foods – like grilled meats, toast, nuts, and dried fruit – as these require more chewing and can put stress on your implants.
• Foods and drinks high in sugar or acids – such as soft drinks, fruit juices, citrus fruits, and lollies – which can increase the risk of tooth decay and gum problems.
• Chewing gum, as it can place unnecessary strain on your implants and jaw.
• Drinking through straws, which creates suction in the mouth and may disturb your healing sites.

 

It’s also important to avoid alcohol for the first 3 days after surgery and to avoid smoking altogether. Research shows that smoking after dental implant surgery increases the risk of implant failure and slows the healing process. Tobacco use can also raise the risk of other oral health problems in the future*.

 

* Mustapha AD, Salame Z, Chrcanovic BR. Smoking and Dental Implants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Medicina (Kaunas). 2021 Dec 27;58(1):39. doi: 10.3390/medicina58010039. PMID: 35056347; PMCID: PMC8780868.

 

Why good nutrition is important

Eating a balanced diet with plenty of protein, healthy carbohydrates, and good fats can support your body’s healing after All-on-4® surgery and help your implants bond securely with your jawbone.* On the flip side, having too much fat or fructose in your diet may slow this bonding process.**

 

Protein plays a big role in your recovery. It helps your body produce collagen, which repairs bone and gum tissue, and it supports your immune system by making antibodies to fight off infection. You can boost your protein intake by:

 

• Adding protein powder, almond or peanut butter, or avocado to smoothies
• Choosing soft, protein-rich foods like scrambled eggs, beans, or tofu

 

Vitamin C is another key nutrient for healing and can help lower the risk of complications after surgery.*** Other important vitamins and minerals include vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium, copper, and zinc.

If you find it hard to get enough vitamin C or other essential nutrients through your diet, your dentist or doctor may recommend supplements to give your recovery an extra boost.

 

* Lau BY, Johnston BD, Fritz PC, Ward WE. Dietary strategies to optimize wound healing after periodontal and dental implant surgery: an evidence-based review. Open Dent J. 2013 Apr 5;7:36-46. doi: 10.2174/1874210601307010036. PMID: 23802022; PMCID: PMC3681034.

 

** King S, Baptiston Tanaka C, Ross D, et al. A diet high in fat and fructose adversely affects osseointegration of titanium implants in rats. Clin Exp Dent Res. 2020; 6: 107–116.

 

*** Li X, Tang L, Lin YF, Xie GF. Role of vitamin C in wound healing after dental implant surgery in patients treated with bone grafts and patients with chronic periodontitis. Clin Implant Dent Relat Res. 2018; 20: 793–798.

 

Recipe ideas following All-on-4® surgery

If you’re unsure about what to eat during your recovery, here are some meal ideas for soft foods that are packed with vitamins and minerals, healthy fats, protein, carbohydrates and dietary fibre.

 

Meat and vegetable dishes

 

• Casseroles, stews or soups
• Shepherd’s pie or cottage pie
• Chilli con carne
• Soup with cream or sour cream
• Fish chowder
• Minestrone with cheese
• Chicken and vegetable stew with soft dumplings
• Braised beef with mashed root vegetables
• Turkey and vegetable risotto
• Salmon and vegetable pie with a soft pastry or mashed potato topping

 

Meat dishes

 

• Chicken in creamy sauce
• Savoury mince
• Corned beef hash
• Tuna mayonnaise
• Fish and potato in creamy sauce
• Soft meatballs in tomato or cream sauce
• Poached salmon with mashed avocado
• Pulled chicken in a mild sauce served with mashed vegetables
• Soft turkey meatloaf with gravy

 

Vegetarian dishes

 

• Lentil dahl with rice
• Ratatouille
• Mixed vegetables mashed with butter and cheese
• Cauliflower and broccoli cheese
• Jacket potato, potato salad or potato bake
• Baked beans and cheese
• Tinned spaghetti
• Avocado egg salad
• Spinach and feta bake
• Soft chickpea curry with coconut milk
• Sweet potato and black bean mash
• Creamy pumpkin soup with blended white beans for protein
• Ricotta and spinach-stuffed soft pasta shells (well-cooked)

 

Dairy-free and gluten-free dishes

 

• Mashed potato or sweet potato with creamy avocado
• Steamed or mashed veggies
• Soft gluten-free pasta with olive oil and blended vegetable sauce
• Vegan mac and cheese (dairy-free cheese sauce)
• Gluten-free pancakes
• Agedashi tofu
• Lentil and sweet potato stew
• Rice congee with soft vegetables and shredded chicken (optional)
• Creamy coconut and pumpkin soup

 

Pasta and grains

 

• Bolognaise
• Lasagne
• Macaroni cheese
• Noodles with a soft vegetable and egg sauce
• Porridge (oats or rice)
• Polenta with blended vegetables and cheese
• Couscous with finely chopped soft vegetables and olive oil
• Quinoa with mashed avocado and soft beans
• Risotto with pumpkin, mushroom, or spinach
• Soft orzo (risoni) pasta with creamy pesto

 

Egg dishes

 

• Quiches and flans
• Egg mayonnaise
• Omelette with soft fillings like cheese and spinach
• Scrambled eggs with cream cheese or avocado
• Poached eggs on soft bread (no crusts)
• Soft-boiled eggs mashed with butter

 

Dips and pates

 

• Smooth pâté
• Hummus
• Guacamole
• Cream cheese
• Baba ganoush (blended eggplant dip)
• Blended white bean dip with olive oil and herbs
• Silken tofu blended with avocado and lemon juice

 

Desserts

 

• Pudding (custard-based)
• Mousse
• Trifles
• Ice cream
• Fruit smoothies
• Yoghurt (plain or Greek, sweetened with mashed fruit)
• Mashed berries or bananas
• Rice pudding
• Stewed fruit with cream or yoghurt
• Chia seed pudding made with almond or coconut milk (soaked until very soft)

 

What to expect during recovery from All-on-4® surgery

If you choose to restore your smile with All-on-4® implants at Mount Lawley Dental, your dentist will guide you through every step so you know exactly what to expect during and after your surgery. It usually takes around 3–4 days for your final bridge (your new teeth) to be custom-made.

 

While you’re waiting, your implants will be protected with small healing caps. During this time, it’s important to stick to a liquid diet and avoid touching the healing caps. Once your bridge is ready, we’ll call you back in to have your new teeth fitted.

 

We recommend taking paracetamol 30 minutes before your fit appointment to help reduce any discomfort.

Here are some more tips to improve your chance of a smooth and swift recovery.

 

Plenty of rest

 

We recommend taking it easy for the first 3 days after your surgery and avoiding exercise for at least a week. Physical exertion and increased blood flow can sometimes cause swelling or bleeding – this can include movements like lifting and bending. It’s also a good idea to keep stress to a minimum, as it may increase discomfort and slow your recovery.

 

If you had your surgery under sedation, such as intravenous (IV) sedation or general anaesthesia, please arrange for a trusted friend or family member to take you home and stay with you for the next 12 hours. They can help keep an eye on your recovery while the sedation fully wears off.

 

Pain and swelling

 

It's normal to feel some pain and discomfort after your surgery when the anaesthesia or sedation wears off. Your dentist might recommend over-the-counter pain relief like paracetamol and ibuprofen or prescription medication to relieve pain, swelling and other symptoms.

 

Swelling usually peaks around 2 to 3 days after surgery and can gradually subside over 1 to 2 weeks. You can try safe home remedies like placing an ice pack against each side of your face for 10 to 20 minute intervals for the first 48 hour, drinking ice cold water can also help to reduce swelling.

 

Bleeding

 

The surgical sites may bleed occasionally in the first few days after surgery. If this happens, apply a clean and moist handkerchief or gauze and press down for 10–30 minutes or as long as it takes to stop the bleeding. You can try to prevent bleeding by sleeping with your head lifted and avoiding strenuous exercise.

 

If your mouth continues to bleed after a few days, or you have other unexpected symptoms, contact your dentist immediately to make an emergency appointment.

 

Contact us

 

Cleaning your mouth

 

It’s important to keep your mouth clean but avoid vigorous rinsing in the days after your surgery. Your dentist will give you a gentle mouthwash that you should use for two weeks. After this time, you can continue gargling with warm salt water to help prevent infection.

 

After your bridge is fitted, you can keep it clean by brushing daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush and begin rinsing it with the water flosser provided to you around two weeks after your surgery. Your dentist’s advice may be different depending on the type of implants you have and whether you had other surgeries. A comprehensive post-operative guide for All-on-4® dental implants is provided to you by your dentist.

 

Follow-up appointments

 

Once your new teeth are fitted, your dentist will arrange a follow-up visit after four weeks. This gives them the chance to check that you’re adjusting well and the implants are healing properly. It can sometimes take tome to get used to new teeth. If you have any concerns about your bite, contact the clinic at any time.

 

What our patients say

“Had my implant placed today – very efficient service! Would highly recommend the team for any dental treatment. 10/10.” – Brian Murphy

 

Talk to an All-on-4® dentist in Perth

If you want to know more about what to expect with All-on-4® dental implants or to talk to a dentist about your teeth, call our team at Mount Lawley Dental on (08) 9227 8777 or book online. We’ll make sure you have all the information you need so you can decide what treatment is best for you. We welcome patients from all local areas, including Highgate and Inglewood.

 

Book Online

 

References

1. King S, Baptiston Tanaka C, Ross D, et al. A diet high in fat and fructose adversely affects osseointegration of titanium implants in rats. Clin Exp Dent Res. 2020; 6: 107–116. https://doi.org/10.1002/cre2.255
2. Lau BY, Johnston BD, Fritz PC, Ward WE. Dietary strategies to optimize wound healing after periodontal and dental implant surgery: an evidence-based review. Open Dent J. 2013 Apr 5;7:36-46. doi: 10.2174/1874210601307010036. PMID: 23802022; PMCID: PMC3681034.
3. Li X, Tang L, Lin YF, Xie GF. Role of vitamin C in wound healing after dental implant surgery in patients treated with bone grafts and patients with chronic periodontitis. Clin Implant Dent Relat Res. 2018; 20: 793–798. https://doi.org/10.1111/cid.12647
4. Mustapha AD, Salame Z, Chrcanovic BR. Smoking and Dental Implants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Medicina (Kaunas). 2021 Dec 27;58(1):39. doi: 10.3390/medicina58010039. PMID: 35056347; PMCID: PMC8780868.