Learning to Manage Your Dental Problems

What Can Dental Implant Patients Expect with Recovery?

3 October 2022 by Charlotte Beck

If you are looking for a new reason to smile, dental implants could be the right move for you. Read on for what to expect in terms of recovery after your dental implant procedure.

The Dental Implant Procedure

Talk with your dentist about implants. Your jawbone should be strong enough to support the implanted post. Some people have deterioration in their jawbones and must undergo a bone graft before they can have implant surgery. You should be prepared to wait several months between the bone graft and the implant surgery. Once your surgery is scheduled, you will discuss pain control during the surgery. You don't need to experience any discomfort during the surgery or in the days afterward. Your dentist may instruct you to refrain from eating or drinking after midnight before your surgery. You may also need to bring someone with you to drive you home afterward.

The procedure itself is simple. The dentist makes a small incision in the gums and some bone material may be removed from your jaw. A post is inserted into the jawbone and a few stitches close the incisions. In some cases, your dentist will add an abutment and crown on top of the implant post right away. In other cases, you might need to come back in a few months after the post is grafted to your jawbone. When you come back for the crown, no anesthesia is needed since the dentist is just placing a crown onto the implant abutment. It's fast and pain-free. Your new implants will feature a crown, or false tooth, that matches your other teeth exactly. It will feel natural, and you can take care of it just as you do your other teeth.

What to Expect with Recovery

Dental implant surgery recovery generally takes only a few days. The surgical site might be sore for a few hours after the surgery, but your dentist will ensure you have pain control for that. You can also expect some minor bruising to the checks. This will fade in a few days. On the first day after surgery, take things easy and rest. Take a day or two off from work so that you can fully recover from the anesthesia. You may feel sleepier than usual and nap more, and that is normal. By day two, you should feel more like yourself. However, avoid strenuous work or exercise for a few more days.

A dentist will provide you with instructions on how to handle things after your implant surgery. They may advise you to stick to soft foods for the time being. Reach out to a general dentistry to find out more.

Share

Search