What can I eat after implant surgery?
Soft, cool food for the first days, chewed away from the site, and nothing hard or sticky until your dentist says the implant is ready for it.
Why what you eat matters after an implant
The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons says a soft diet is usually recommended during the early stages of healing, to avoid putting unnecessary pressure and stress on the surgical site. Hard, sharp or heavy chewing near the site can also irritate the gum.
Keep to a soft diet for as long as your dentist says. Follow your dentist’s instructions first, since how long healing takes depends on the implant, the bone, and whether one tooth or a full arch was treated.
The first days
Wait until the numbness is gone before you eat, so you do not bite your cheek or tongue. If you had sedation, have someone with you, and start with something light once you are fully alert.
Stay with soft food that is cool or lukewarm, and chew on the side away from the site. If you have more than one implant, or an arch treated, ask which foods your dentist wants you to avoid altogether.
What to eat, and what to hold off on
Fine to eat
Yogurt, eggs, cottage cheese
Soft protein that needs almost no chewing.
Mashed potatoes, soft-cooked vegetables
Easy on the gum.
Soup and broth, lukewarm
Lukewarm, so it does not irritate the site.
Smoothies, with a spoon
Good when chewing is the problem. The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons says to avoid using straws.
Soft fish, pasta, oatmeal
Come back to these as chewing gets comfortable.
Hold off on
Chips, nuts, popcorn, hard bread
Hard or sharp pieces can bruise the gum and lodge near the site.
Chewy or sticky food
Caramel, taffy and tough meat pull on the area when you chew.
Ice, and anything you would crunch
Hard biting puts stress on a healing implant.
Very hot food and drink
Heat can irritate the site, and numbness hides how hot something is.
Alcohol and smoking
The American Dental Association says using tobacco can slow healing. Ask your dentist how long to go without both.
Later on
As the site heals, add harder foods back gradually, as your dentist directs. An implant is usually restored with its final tooth after a healing period, and what you can chew on in the meantime depends on whether you have a temporary tooth or none. Ask which applies to you.
Once the implant is restored, keep it clean like a natural tooth, and keep your cleaning and check-up visits. The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons names peri-implantitis, a chronic infection of the gum and eventually the bone, as the most common cause of long-term implant failure.
When to call the office
Some soreness and a little oozing are normal early on. Call us if pain is getting worse instead of better, if bleeding does not slow with gentle pressure, if the implant or a temporary tooth feels loose, or if you cannot eat or drink enough.
Get medical care promptly if your face or jaw swells or you have a fever. Call the office, or seek emergency care if you cannot swallow or breathe.
Next step
We place single-tooth and full-arch implants at our Winchester office, and IV conscious sedation is available. If you are still deciding, read how a dentist decides if you are a candidate.