When patients set out to replace their teeth, they’re often impressed by everything that dental implants have to offer as a tooth replacement option. They’re durable, offer a powerful bite, and look remarkably realistic.
If you’ve decided on dental implants, however, you might wonder what you an expect from your dental implant procedure. Thankfully, recovery shouldn’t take you out of the process for very long. Here’s what you should know.
When Will I Feel Back to Normal After Dental Implant Surgery?
As far as surgeries go, the procedure to place a dental implant is fairly low-impact. Depending on how quickly you tend to bounce back, you can expect to return to work as soon as one or two days after the treatment. Any swelling or bleeding associated with the treatment should fade after a few days.
However, it’s usually a good idea to continue to avoid strenuous exercise for as long as a week after the procedure is complete, as increasing your heart rate could cause bleeding to start back up again.
How Long Before The Implant Has Fused to the Jaw?
One of the things that makes dental implants so strong is the unique capacity for titanium to fuse with the jaw. The process of this actually happening is called osseointegration, and for your dental implants to be fully reliable this needs to finish.
This will take much longer than it will for your superficial wounds to heal, anywhere from 3-6 months.
How to Make Aftercare Easy
If you want recovery to proceed as smoothly as possible, there are a few things that you may want to keep in mind.
First of all, in the days after the surgery you shouldn’t rush your recovery. Take the time to rest properly, and take care of the surgical area. You should also take a break from tobacco if you’re a smoker, as this could significantly delay healing.
Long term, it’s important that you don’t disrupt the process of osseointegration. You should avoid putting excess pressure on the implants during this time. You should also make it a point to keep your mouth clean through gentle brushing and flossing, as this is the best way to stave off any kind of infection.
About the Author
Dr. Deidra Harrison-McClain began her career as a dental assistant before studying to become a full-fledged dentist herself. Now that she heads her own practice, she gets to talk with patients about how best to manage their oral health and to help them to perfect their smiles. Dr. Harrison-McClain received her Doctor of Dental Surgery from the Meharry Medical College in Nashville, graduating at the top of her class, and completed her residency at the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry.
If you have any questions about dental implants, she can be reached at her website or by phone at (615) 819-1644.