Call Desert Dental Alternatives to Learn More About Dental Implants
Dental implants can be an ideal solution to missing or damaged teeth and when you need a permanent solution to your smile imperfections. At Desert Dental Alternatives, we take pride in helping our patients achieve the full, beautiful smile they desire, and dental alternatives are an integral part of that.
If you choose dental implants as part of your smile restoration, you will want to be prepared for the healing process and know what to expect. Let our team help to soothe any worries and explain the healing process for you.
Contact Desert Dental Alternatives to discuss dental implants and how they can fit into your smile restoration process. Schedule your appointment with our dentists today!
Dental Implant Healing Process from Day 1 to Fully Healed
Implant Healing Days 1-3
In the first 24 hours after dental implant surgery, you can expect that the anesthesia and local pain medicine administered by the dentist will slowly wear off. You will likely have gauze in your mouth to help ensure that your blood clots form properly, and the bleeding should slow over the first few hours.
It is typical to experience discomfort as the pain medicine wears off, so it is recommended that you take 24-48 hours after surgery to rest and recover. Over these first few days, your bleeding will continue to slow, and discomfort will persist but lessen. Eat soft foods, like yogurts or liquid soups and smoothies to keep from exacerbating the pain or disrupting the healing process.
It is also best to avoid any exercise with extreme exertion to reduce dislodging any blood clots and prevent worsening pain. During this time, it is fine to brush your teeth (away from the surgery site) as you normally would but avoid any contact with the surgery area.
Implant Healing Days 3-7
After the third day, you can start to eat more solid foods like pasta, rice, or other slightly firmer foods than liquid. Mild to moderate exercise is okay but continue to avoid heavy lifting or harder exertion as your surgery site will still be tender. As the surgery site heals, discomfort should continue to lessen, but it is important to continue avoiding the site when brushing. Gentle rinsing of the mouth will keep the area as clean as possible without interrupting the healing process.
Implant Healing Days 7-21
During this time, you will have a follow-up appointment to check on any remaining stitches and monitor your recovery. You can begin to brush your full mouth again and slowly reintroduce regular foods. As you eat, use caution, paying attention to where you chew when eating chunky or hard foods.
At the 2-week mark, your surgery site should be healed, but it may still feel tender to the touch. Your implant site will continue to heal, and the implant will continue to bond with the rest of the jawbone over the next 3-6 weeks.
Abutment Placement in Your Healed Implant
When your implant is fully healed, the abutment can be placed by connecting it to the implanted post. It is connected to this post during minor surgery, healing from which can take 14-30 days but will be minimal. Any discomfort can be alleviated with ice packs and over-the-counter pain relievers.
After the placement of the abutment, your smile restoration dental implant surgery process is complete, and your permanent tooth is placed. Your smile restoration process can continue as detailed in the plans set forth by you and your cosmetic dentist.
Complete Your Smile with Dental Implants
For smile restoration and dental implants that you can enjoy for years to come, trust the dental experts at Desert Dental Alternatives. Our dentists are here to bring your smile back to beautiful, with dental implant options for a variety of dental imperfections. Let our team help you create a plan for your smile so that you can have confidence and joy in how you look, no matter the dental issues you experienced in the past.
Call Desert Dental Alternatives for dental solutions. Get started on your smile restoration journey today!