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One of the benefits of implant supported dentures is that, eventually, you can eat most of the same foods that you enjoyed before you got dentures. However, it takes a while to recover completely from the surgery to place the implants, and during this time, you have to be careful and watch what you eat to give the implants a chance to heal and integrate with the bone.

What can you eat during recovery?

After surgery for implant supported dentures, you not only need to give the tissues in your mouth time to heal, but you also have to allow time for the bone and the implants to become completely bonded, a process known as osseointegration that takes several months. During this time, you have to eat certain foods at certain points in the recovery period to avoid damaging the implants or causing unnecessary pain.

First 48 hours

During the first 48 hours following surgery, you should avoid eating anything hot to prevent damage to the soft tissues of the mouth that are vulnerable following surgery. You should only consume liquids during this time, and they should only be cold or lukewarm. Make sure to stay hydrated by drinking fluids in small quantities.

One to two weeks postoperative

For the first one to two weeks following your surgery, you should confine yourself to a liquid diet. This allows your jaw time to heal and avoids any difficulty or pain from eating regular solid foods. You should start with clear fluids and then gradually increase to heavier liquids as tolerated. After about three or four days, your mouth should be sufficiently healed that you can start having hot liquids again, such as tea or soup. Examples of liquid and near-liquid foods you can eat during this time include meal-replacement shakes, custard, yogurt, oatmeal, milkshakes, and pudding.

Two weeks to three months postoperative

During this period of your recovery, you can start eating more solid foods as you feel comfortable. Bread, pasta, fruits, and vegetables are all good examples. However, the jaw is still healing, so you should avoid any foods that are too hard or chewy. These foods could put pressure on your jaw and disrupt the process of osseointegration, which could cause the implants to fail. As a general rule, choose foods that you can eat with a spoon as these typically require little chewing.

How do you proceed following your recovery?

Once you have recovered completely from your surgery, you should gradually be able to go back to eating the way you used to. To protect your implant supported dentures, you should avoid chewing on hard, non-food objects, such as ice, pens, pencils, and fingernails.

Your dentist may also advise you to avoid the hardest and stickiest of foods to avoid damage to your dentures. You may want to avoid foods that can get caught under your dentures, such as seeds and nuts. Eating with dentures may be awkward at first. Take your time when chewing and be careful only to take bite-sized pieces.

Conclusion

It takes several months to heal completely from the surgery to place implant supported dentures. Once you have recovered, you can gradually go back to eating most of the foods that you did before.

Request an appointment here: https://www.thedentistindenverco.com or call Gregg L Lage DDS, PC at 303-427-4552 for an appointment in our Denver office.