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Dental Implants: What to Expect Right After the Procedure

If you are considering dental implants, you need to know about the recovery period after the procedure. Dental implants require significant oral intervention and care. As a dental implant patient, you need to know what to expect right after the implants are placed. Here are some things you can expect after the procedure.

What To Expect Within the First Few Days

Once you leave the dental practice after your procedure, you can expect the area to be fully protected by gauze. This needs to remain in place for a certain period, or until any residual bleeding has stopped. Your doctor will advise you as to when you can remove it.

If you still have bleeding after you remove your gauze, you should replace it and continue to check every half hour or so. Small amounts of bleeding are normal after dental implants, but any significant bleeding or bleeding that does not stop requires a call to your doctor.

You may have some dull pain or aches right after the procedure that you can control with over-the-counter pain relievers. Your doctor may also prescribe you pain medication for the first couple of days. Additionally, you will be on a soft or mostly liquid diet.

If you have any swelling, you can place an ice pack on your jaw every half hour or so to help alleviate any discomfort. You also should not exercise or do anything overly physical within the first few days of your dental implant surgery. Instead, take the time to rest and sit still so you can recover comfortably.

What To Expect After the First Week

Within the first week of your surgery, you should notice considerably less swelling and pain. If you have any stitches, they should begin to dissolve at this time. If you do not have stitches that dissolve, your doctor will likely want to remove the stitches.

You may or may not need pain medication at this point in your recovery. If you still feel enough pain that you need pain relief every day, consider calling your doctor to get further guidance. Your doctor may want to see you again within the first week to check your implants and make sure you are healing properly.

You should be able to return to eating a normal diet, with care being taken for sticky or tough foods at first.

Dental implants take months to fully heal but knowing what to expect initially can help you better prepare for the process. To learn more, contact a dentist to learn about permanent dental implants.


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