After getting dental implants placed in your jawbone to replace your missing teeth, you might think recovery from the surgical procedure is intimidating. However, the minor discomfort is worth the effort because the implants help restore missing teeth with natural-looking and feeling artificial teeth. In addition, the healing from dental implants is much faster than other oral surgeries like wisdom tooth extractions.
If you wonder what to expect after dental implant placement, this article will walk you through the healing timeline after getting dental implants placed in your mouth.
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Healing Time from Dental Implant Placement and Expectations
Immediately after Implant Placement: You will likely not experience pain immediately after dental implant placement because you require at least four to six hours for the anaesthesia and sedation to subside before you can expect minor discomfort. Before leaving the practice of the dentist in Humble, TX, they will place gauze over the surgical area asking you to bite on it and keep it in place for about an hour to ensure the formation of the blood clot. If you notice the gauze saturating with blood, you can replace it until the bleeding stops.
You can have foods after dental implant placement but must refrain from having crunchy and complex foods choosing soft foods instead, like yoghurt, smoothies, broth, and similar alternatives that don’t require chewing. You can return home after your appointment with the dentist in Humble to rest and relax. However, you must elevate your head when lying down using extra pillows to prevent bleeding and pain.
How to Maintain Oral Health After Dental Implant Placement
One Week after the Surgery
During the initial 24 to 72 hours after dental implant placement, you can expect swelling, pain, and bleeding to peak before subsiding. Therefore, during the initial hours after dental implant placement, you must avoid exerting yourself by indulging in exercise or lifting heavy objects because it causes discomfort or bleeding.
You can brush and floss your teeth by avoiding the implant site. You can either use a prescription mouthwash or a saltwater rinse to clean the implant site. You must avoid splitting and rinsing vigorously because it interferes with blood clotting and your healing. After about a week of implant placement, you will not feel pain, and the bleeding will stop. At this time, you can start having healthy foods like pasta, although you must chew from the opposite side of your mouth from the dental implant. During the first week, any sutures inserted start dissolving. You also regain the ability to brush the implant site gently and the nearby teeth.
Two Weeks after the Surgery
You can see the Humble dentist two weeks after the dental implant procedure to assess your recovery. The professional will examine your implant by taking X-rays to ensure the healing is progressing as expected. After two weeks, the surgical site will feel normal. While the dental implant might feel tender and sore to the touch, you will not experience significant pain, swelling, or inflammation.
After two weeks, you can resume your regular diet and activities without confronting challenges; during the next 3 to 6 months, it will take for the implant to osseointegrate with your jawbone to become part of your body.
Caring for Implants Three Months after the Surgery
Caring for dental implants in Humble after getting them placed in your jawbone continues even after three months of the placement. Maintaining excellent dental hygiene is essential when caring for the implants embedded deep into your jawbone.
You cannot assume that the metal implant is not susceptible to infections and allows dental plaque to accumulate around it. Although the metal implant remains invulnerable to conditions, your jawbone remains vulnerable. Food particles and bacteria accumulating around the dental implant can develop dental plaque to make you a victim of gum disease, the primary cause of dental implant failure. Therefore you must continue brushing and flossing your teeth and removing dental plaque as best as possible. If you schedule regular appointments with the humble dentist, they can help you eliminate any excess plaque remaining on your teeth to ensure you don’t encounter the challenge of failing implants.
After getting dental implants as a replacement for your missing teeth, you must start treating the prosthetics as your natural tooth root, which it is. Caring for your teeth and mouth appropriately, as recommended by your dentist, helps you recover faster and enables you to replace your missing tooth with a custom-created dental crown feeling and functioning like your natural teeth.
Charm Dental — Humble provides dental implants in Humble instructing patients on what to expect after undergoing implant placement surgery for quick recovery. If you miss teeth, consult this practice to get them replaced with dental implants today.
