Eating With All-On-4® Implants
What Can You Eat After All-On-4® Implants, and How Does That Compare To The Alternatives?
Eating with dentures can be a real pain — especially difficult to bite foods like apples, or chewy foods like steak. This is one of the main reasons that people turn to All-On-4® implants; as an alternative to dentures, All-On-4® implants can function like real teeth.
But how soon after undergoing All-On-4® surgery can you start eating hard foods? What foods should you eat in the meantime? And after the recovery period, are there any foods you still have to avoid?
To help you answer these questions, and other common inquiries people have about AAll-On-4® implants and food, we’ve put together the following guide to eating with All-On-4® implants.
With MALO Institute-certified techniques and training, the best team for All-On-4® implants is at The Point Dental. Book in for a complimentary consultation, and we will find out whether All-On-4® is a good option for you.
Why Is It Easier To Eat With All-On-4® Implants Than With Dentures?
It’s easier to eat food with dentures than it is with no teeth at all, but there are some serious limitations. These stem from the fact that removable dentures fit loosely in the mouth, and therefore lack the firmness of real teeth. Over time, experienced denture-wearers can develop the skills to chew most foods effectively, but there is a better way.
All-On-4® implants are installed permanently in the mouth. Each row of teeth is attached to the jaw with four screws. When the mouth has healed, they act just like ordinary, natural teeth: they look the same, you clean them the same way, and, most importantly, they facilitate the effortless chewing of food.
How Is Eating Affected While Recovering From All-On-4® Surgery?
Once you’ve recovered from All-On-4® surgery, you can approach eating just as you would with natural teeth. While you recover, however, you may need to make some changes to your diet.
What Can You Eat And Drink Immediately After Surgery?
All-On-4® surgery requires anaesthesia, and you will experience numbness in your mouth for some time. On the day of surgery during the ensuing numbness, avoid hot liquids; you may burn yourself and impede recovery if you drink an extraordinarily hot beverage or soup.
Instead, stick to cold drinks. Keeping fluids up is important for recovering from a surgical procedure.
What Can You Eat And Drink A Few Days After Surgery?
Over three days or so, the swelling from the surgery will subside. Soft foods can be gradually introduced to your diet. The first foods you attempt should be ones that require much chewing, like soft cereals or soups. To keep up nutritional caloric intake during this time, try a variety of different smoothies and shakes.
As the healing process continues, you can move on to soft foods that require limited chewing, like pancakes and pasta. Be mindful during this stage, and you’ll be chewing solid food like a pro in no time.
What Can You Eat While Recovering From All-On-4® Surgery?
There’s a huge variety of liquid and almost-liquid food that you can eat during recovery. You can try things like:
- Jelly
- Ice cream
- Scrambled eggs
- Porridge
- Yogurt
- Soup
- Juice
- Blended foods
It is important to remember that even though the state of your food will have changed, your nutritional needs will basically remain the same. If you’re having trouble getting enough vitamins and minerals in liquid form throughout the recovery period, it might be worth taking some supplements until you’re all healed up.
How Long Does It Take To Recover From All-On-4® Surgery?
The recovery for All-On-4® is much shorter than other dental implant procedures, which can require months if not years of recovery time. The immediate swelling and soreness that eventuates from All-On-4® surgery will subside in just a few days. We recommend that you take a couple of days off of work, keep your fluids up, and take painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen.
After that, there may still be some soreness over the coming days. It will gradually be easier and easier to eat firm, crunchy foods. If you’re patient with your recovery, you’ll find yourself chomping down on apples and sweetcorn in just a few short weeks.
Our team at The Point Dental has years of experience with All-On-4® implants and can help you through the recovery process. Find out more about how we can help with All-On-4® dental implants, and see if they are the right choice for you.
