Recovery Time After Dental Implants
If you’re considering dental implants in Richmond it’s only natural that you want answers to certain questions such as “What is the typical recovery time”, “How many days do I need to book off work”, “Will there be much pain?” and “When will I be able to eat normally again?”.
If a patient has had a simple dental implant to replace say, a single missing back tooth or an immediate implant to replace a failing tooth, then generally speaking there is little or no post operative discomfort and swelling. Patients should be able to return to work the next day and continue life as normal with little inconvenience. Careful brushing around the area and soft food for a few days is pretty much all that’s necessary.
In most cases after the initial surgery for dental implants a patient can expect a little swelling, bruising, and mild discomfort which lasts for a few days. This can usually be managed by following the post operative instructions that your dentist will send you home with, and by using over-the-counter pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. After around 7-10 days most patients are able to return to their normal diet, although in some cases a patient may be advised to keep to a soft food diet for six weeks following their implant surgery.
Things that have a negative outcome on implant healing
A patient’s recovery can be significantly affected by their lifestyle choices. For example, a smoker will be advised to cut right back on smoking or avoid it altogether for at least a couple of weeks after surgery. Smoking after surgery can lengthen the healing period and can have a harmful impact on the procedure altogether, especially if bone grafting is involved.
Recovery after dental implant surgery and healing itself, can be lengthened or impaired by smoking, excessive drinking of alcohol, poor diet, and lack of dental care such as failure to brush teeth regularly. Keeping to a daily oral care routine is essential for speedy recovery and to avoid infections.
Regular checks
Once the initial phase of healing has taken place the surrounding bone and soft tissue will start to bond with the implants to create a stable and strong platform which is able to support a prosthetic such as a dental crown, bridge, or denture. You’ll be required to attend regular check ups with the dentist to monitor your progress.
If you’re considering a dental implant in Richmond and would like to find out more about the procedure and the options for your particular case, then why not book a free implant consultation with Sheen Dental where you can meet Dr. Harmit Kalsi and the team. You can book by phoning us direct on 020 8876 5277 or by contacting us online at www.sheendentalimplants.co.uk. We look forward to meeting you.