If you are considering dental implant surgery, you may be wondering about the recovery process. We encourage our patients to think in both the short term and the long term when it comes to dental implant healing Queen Creek AZ and Gilbert AZ. Fortunately, implants are such good replacement teeth that the short term discomfort is outweighed by the long term benefits.
After Dental Implant Surgery Healing — Short Term
As you may expect, short term healing after surgery will involve some discomfort. These are the major factors that affect dental implant healing:
- Minor bleeding
- Implant site pain
- Swelling/bruising of gums
- Swelling/bruising of skin/face
The most common strategies for dealing with implant placement include:
- Rest (especially the day of the surgery)
- Time (a few days to a week)
- Stick closely to recovery plan (soft food, no straws, etc.)
- Pre-treatment with antibiotics (depends on medical history) to prevent infection
- Post-treatment with antibiotics (as needed)
- Post-treatment with mild pain relief medicines
The length of your short term healing process will have to do with a few factors. Is it a small area or a large one? Naturally a larger area will take longer to heal.
Advanced age or bad health may slow the healing process. You will have discussed your health with the surgeon and should have an idea of how this will affect you.
How closely you adhere to the recovery plan will affect the speed at which the site recovers. Remember there is no substitute for professional advice.
When to Contact Desert Valley Oral Surgery
Our office is prepared to take your call so do not hesitate to contact us. Over the course of the short term recovery process, your mouth should heal. If pain, discomfort, bleeding or swelling increases instead, please call us.
In rare cases, there is a dental implant failure. Please discuss this possibility with our surgeon. The most common cause is smoking. We can help you assess your chances of this and other rare occurrences. Unusual problems include:
- Injury or damage to other teeth
- Nerve damage (pain, numbness, tingling)
- Sinus problems
Dental Implant Healing — Long Term
Osseointegration must take place before the permanent tooth replacement is added. This process requires the jawbone and the dental implant to grow together. During this time, be sure to maintain good oral health. Your surgeon will give you instructions about dietary restrictions and good oral hygiene during this period of time.
As you can imagine, growing bone takes time. After several months, your implant should be ready for the artificial tooth or teeth.
Abutment-related Surgery
In many cases, the abutment is included in the original surgery. However, in some cases, the oral surgeon will have to reopen the gum to access the implant. Then the abutment is attached and the gum reattached around it.
This procedure generally requires only local anesthesia and does not take long to heal. If this procedure is needed, you can expect to have the tooth placed about two weeks later.
Before Surgery
Before surgery you should definitely talk about your concerns. In some cases, a sinus lift may be needed before implants. In others, jawbone reconstruction may be needed.
When you visit with Dr. Hansen at Desert Valley Oral Surgery, you can get more answers to your most difficult questions. We want you to feel as comfortable as possible with the entire process.