Dental Implant Surgery: What Happens Post-Surgery

Nov 01, 2020

Losing a tooth is not the best feeling ever. This is because our teeth were naturally designed to last us our entire lifetime and losing even a single tooth distorts that natural balance. Having missing teeth goes beyond affecting your smile; it also negatively impacts your oral health.

A couple of factors may cause tooth loss; these factors may range from tooth decay and periodontal diseases to trauma and other diseases such as diabetes.

Whatever the cause, the good news is that you no longer have to live with missing teeth. This is because our dentist in Berkeley Heights, NJ, offers all our patients with missing teeth exceptional tooth restoration alternatives.
Among one of the leading tooth restoration alternatives available at our dentist near you are dental implants in Berkeley.

Dental implants are ideally titanium bits that are surgically inserted into your jawbone to create a synthetic root that will support your new tooth replacement. The titanium post is allowed to fuse with your jawbone after the surgery via osseointegration before the customized tooth replacement is mounted onto it.

The dental implant surgery involves several processes, and the healing process afterward may take several months. This is because the fusion between the dental implant and the jawbone takes a certain amount of time, during which the jawbone tightly heals around the implant anchoring it firmly.

What Side Effects Will You Experience Post Surgery?

Most patients who opt to undergo dental implant surgery ask when they are consulting with our dentist in Berkeley Heights, NJ, is whether the surgery is a painful affair.

Truth be told, the surgery in itself is a safe and painless procedure. During the surgery, you will be under sedation to ensure that your procedure is comfortable and pain-free.

However, some side effects may occur after your surgery, particularly after the sedation wears off after the surgery. These side effects may include:

Pain at the surgical site
Inflammation of your gums, particularly around the surgical site
Facial inflammation
Bruising on your cheeks and skin
Minimal bleeding for the initial 24-48 hours after the surgery

However, it is important to appreciate the fact that pain tolerance varies from one patient to another. At times, our dentist will prescribe some pain medication to make your recovery process comfortable.

At Jersey smiles, our dental implant surgeries are often uneventful, and our dental team is always available to make sure your procedure and recovery process goes as smoothly as possible. The recovery period can take a few months, but the post-op symptoms will dissipate in a few weeks.

The Do’s and Don’ts After the Surgery

What you need to avoid after your dental implant surgery is getting an infection at the surgical site. An infection can negatively impact your recovery and impede it all together.

You should take good care of yourself as this will speed up your recovery, and you will be back to handling your daily activities in no time.

Here are a few things you should do after your surgery:

The Do’s

- Practice Good Oral Hygiene

This is one of the most effective ways to keep the surgical site clean and avoid infections. Right after your surgery, you should brush your teeth lightly and avoid disturbing the surgical site. You can resume your normal brushing when recommended by our dentist or after a few weeks when the pain and inflammation around the site have subsided.
You can also use a mouth wash alongside brushing to keep the surgical site clean.

- Use a Saline Mouth Rinse

You can use a warm saline rinse to keep your mouth clean and sterile. Gently rinse out your mouth twice or thrice a day for about five minutes with the warm salty water.

- Minimize Strenuous Physical Activity

It would be best if you avoided overexerting after your surgery or doing any strenuous activities until our dentist gives you the go-ahead. Jumping too fast into any strenuous activity could result in bleeding. However, light exercises are encouraged as these promote blood flow and speed up your healing process.

- Watch What You Eat

Immediately after the surgery, you should take only liquids and pureed foods and gradually work your way back into taking solid food after a few days. Keep in mind that you need to eat healthy meals and avoid skipping your meals to facilitate your healing process.

The Don’ts

Avoid smoking as this will slow down your recovery process, put you at risk of infection and implant failure
Avoid using a straw right after your surgery as the suction it generates can cause you to bleed
Avoid eating any spicy foods as these will tend to irritate the surgical site
Avoid consuming alcohol because it promotes inflammation

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