Tooth loss is a typical issue that often occurs due to injury or disease. Dental implants are oral surgical procedures that help to replace the missing tooth/teeth.
Oral surgery can be stressful sometimes, more particularly when multiple dental implants are to be done. With advancements in science and technology and process in dental clinics, post-surgery discomfort is eased for many patients. And, the recovery procedure of dental implants has also turned a lot simpler for many.
THINGS YOU GOTTA KNOW ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANT RECOVERY PROCEDURE
Did your dental clinic suggest you undergo dental implants? If yes, you most likely have one or more missing teeth. To replace the missing tooth/teeth and get your smile back, your dental clinic will recommend replacing the space with the implant(s). While undergoing the procedure, you need to have-
- A jawbone that has achieved full growth
- Sufficient bone to be able to have a bone graft or secure the implants
- Healthy oral tissues
- Good health so that it will not negatively impact bone healing
Oral surgery often doesn’t complete through a single visit. Especially if it is an implant, it happens in six stages-
- Extracting the damaged tooth
- Jawbone preparation or grafting
- Implant placement
- Bone growth and recovery
- Abutment placement
- Final fitting or artificial tooth placement
The team at your dental clinic will walk through each stage in detail with you before starting with the first process. Nevertheless, keep these stages in mind when thinking about the recovery.
Yes indeed! The healing process of dental implants differs from patient to patient. Nevertheless, a couple of factors specify the recovery process and duration required for complete recovery.
Dental implant healing time varies from patient to patient. The overall dental implant process can typically take months from start to end. For instance, between stage three – implant placement – and stage five – abutment placement -, there is a considerable amount of time allocated for bone growth and healing. Nevertheless, if you need bone grafting, it can take a few more weeks for the grafted bone to develop appropriately to support the implant.
Once the implant is placed, you will need to wait for the bone to grow around it. This process is called osseointegration. It is the procedure that allows the implants to become a healthy integral part of your jaw. It is vital for a successful dental implant process since you need the jawbone to develop and combine well with the implant surface.
You will have to decide between removable or fixed artificial tooth/teeth. Removable teeth are like dentures. Whether you should have full or partial removable teeth is often your choice. Removable teeth usually have artificial white teeth attached with pink colored gum. If you choose to have fixed teeth, your oral surgeon will screw or cement the crowns onto the implant base and remember they are unremovable once attached.
Probably you will experience a little bit of pain and discomfort after the procedure. Yes, it’s true! Getting implants is a sort of oral surgery, and you will feel at this stage-
- Swelling on your gums and face
- Bruising of gums and skin
- Pain in the implant spot
- Minor bleeding
Your oral surgeon will prescribe you the right pain relief medications and antibiotics. Monitor the bleeding and swelling. Visit the dental clinic immediately if any of the two continues to worsen after the surgery.
Be ready for stitches on your gums. Any experienced dentist in Waterloo will most often use dissolvable stitches, eventually dissolve after a specific period. Some may also use regular stitches that are to be removed after a certain period. Before your surgery, talk to your dentist about which option will be used.
Be careful while eating and drinking during the healing stage. Your gums and jawbone will need a specific amount of time to recover following the surgery. Certain types of meals and drinks are likely to deter healing. However, stick to soft meals for, say, the least a week after the implant procedure. Protein shakes, ice cream, smoothies, soup, mashed potatoes, etc., are good soft meal options to consider during the healing days.
Follow good oral hygiene even while recovering. Brushing and flossing will be utterly painful or challenging since you won’t be able to open your mouth quite wide for the first 24 hours following the surgery. But, you can rinse your mouth gently with salt water every few hours to prevent infection. Continue brushing and flossing as often as you can with more excellent care.
If you still have additional questions regarding the healing after dental implant surgery, an experienced dentist is the right person to help you get the right answers. Visit your dental clinic to discuss any issues you might have concerning the process and recovery. It is crucial and useful to have all the information before the surgery.
