Older Couple Smiling and Embracing at the BeachDental implant surgery is a very simple, safe, and uncomplicated surgical procedure. While the surgery itself is short, the recovery process is a bit longer. Also, the success of the overall dental implant procedure is highly dependent on post-operative care, so you need to be careful and strictly follow the care instructions given by your dental implant surgeon to avoid any complications.

How Long Does It Take for an Implant to Heal Completely?

There is no fixed period for the healing of a dental implant. It depends on several factors: the person’s overall oral health, bone structure, whether the implant surgery included bone grafting or not, the number of implants one has received, post-operative care, your overall health, and the body’s self-healing abilities. On average, dental implants can take anywhere from 2 to 6 months to heal completely.

However, this doesn’t mean that you will continue to have pain throughout the recovery period of several months. In general, the first two days after the implant surgery are painful. You are also likely to experience inflammation and bleeding during these two days. However, the pain and swelling start to subside from the third day and almost entirely go away after one week.

You may also experience fever, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, and some bruising on your face during the first few days after the dental implant surgery. Your doctor is also likely to prescribe some medications to alleviate the pain and swelling.

Precautionary Measures to Avoid Complications After Dental Implants

Post-surgical complications can occur in dental implants if you do not properly follow the care instructions given by your oral surgeon. Here are some of the major factors you need to be careful about to avoid infection or any other complication after an implant:

  • Maintaining oral hygiene is an essential factor in dental implant recovery. Poor oral hygiene can lead to infections and even cause dental implant failure, in some cases.
  • Do not smoke – it slows down the healing process by constricting the blood vessels, disrupting the blood flow to the mouth’s soft tissues.
  • Eat soft foods for at least a couple of weeks after the surgery or as long as your doctor instructs you to do so.
  • Avoid eating hard, tough, or crunchy foods until you get the final prosthesis implanted.
  • Avoid consuming extremely hot foods for the first few weeks.
  • Do not drink alcohol.

Summing Up the Dental Implant Recovery Process

Dental implant surgery is a short, safe, and simple procedure to replace missing teeth. However, the dental implant recovery period is critical to your surgery’s success. Therefore, you need to strictly follow the instructions given by your dental implant surgeon and follow-up as and when required to ensure a successful recovery.

Although the whole recovery process can take several months, you can resume your daily life after two to three days when most of the symptoms and pain start to subside.

Your doctor also plays a key role in the success of a dental implant procedure. Therefore, make sure to get the surgery done from a reliable dental surgeon. If you live in Southern California, look nowhere else than Lytle, Tate, and Stamper. We are a team of oral surgeons with offices in Pasadena, Glendale, and La Cañada.

Fill out the online form to schedule a consultation session with one of our dental implant surgeons today.

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