What to Expect During Recovery From a Dental Implant Procedure
If you’re a candidate for a dental implant, understanding the process can help you with the procedure and the recovery period afterwards. We’ve outlined some main points in order to prepare you for surgery, put you at ease, and ensure your smile remains healthy after it’s all done.
Dental Implant Procedure Basics
In order to understand how long the dental implant recovery period will be, it’s important to realize that the dental implant procedure itself can be lengthy.
More information on can be found in our article “What to Expect During a Dental Implant Procedure”.
Dental Implant Recovery
The recovery from a dental implant procedure will depend on your body’s healing capacity.
You can expect some mild discomfort which can be reduced with the help of over-the-counter painkillers. If you have pain that is more severe, always contact your dentist.
In order to avoid potential complications after surgery, you will need to schedule regular dental check-ups with your dentist. They will help you avoid:
- Infection around the surrounding bone and gums
- Your body’s rejection of the dental implant
- Bone loss around the dental implant
- Your dental implant failing to adhere to the bone
In order to ensure that your body remains at optimal healing capacity, we generally recommend:
- Cleaning your dental implant regularly – rinsing with salt water after every meal, and using antiseptic mouthwash morning and night
- Practicing careful brushing techniques – avoid brushing until stitches are removed, and then use antiseptic gel and a soft brush
- Eating soft foods – avoid getting foods that may get stuck in your teeth, such as seeds or popcorn
- Eliminating smoking – research shows that the rate of implant failure is higher for those that smoke
- Scheduling follow-up appointments – having your dentist or surgeon check the bone and gum around the implant to ensure it’s healing correctly
Once your mouth has fully healed, it’s important to keep up good oral health to make sure you get the maximum lifespan out of your implant. Your new implant tooth must be cared for and checked regularly, just like your natural teeth. Make sure to visit your dentist every six months, or more frequently if advised.
The information provided above is general and may not apply in all cases. Your dentist will provide you individual information and instructions that are right for you.
Have More Questions About Dental Implants?
For more information, please contact the Centre Dentaire Pierrefonds. Our West Island dentists would be happy to provide more details about dental implants.