Healing After Dental Implants: What To Expect From The Recovery Process

Every patient is different, and every recovery is, too. But if you’re wondering what to expect from the healing and recovery process after you get a dental implant in McFarland from Lakeview Modern Dentistry, we’re here to help. In this blog, we’ll take a brief look at what you can expect as you recover from your surgery. 

Immediately After Surgery

Dr. Kevin DeGroot will send you home with a gauze pack over your surgical site. Bite down on this and keep it in place. This helps form blood clots around your implant. You may need to replace the gauze pack once or twice if it becomes soaked with blood.

You can eat after surgery, but eat soft foods like yogurt and ice cream. Avoid chewing while you’re numb, since you could accidentally chew your cheek. Go home, rest and relax, and keep your head elevated to help with pain and bleeding.

You should brush your teeth normally, but avoid the implant site. You can rinse with salt water or a prescription mouth rinse to clean the implant. Don’t spit forcefully, as this could dislodge blood clots and cause bleeding.

1-3 Days After Implant Surgery

You should take things easy during this time. You can go back to work, but should avoid exercise and heavy exertion. Your saliva may be pink for 24-48 hours or so after your treatment, but you should not be bleeding heavily.

At this time, symptoms like pain, swelling, and bruising start to peak, then fade. Take any prescribed painkillers as required, or take over-the-counter medication like ibuprofen. Icing the cheek may also help.

You should continue eating mostly soft foods, but you can have things like pasta or soft scrambled eggs after about 3 days. Continue to avoid brushing your extraction site, rinsing it with salt water or a prescription rinse.

3-7 Days After Implant Surgery

No bleeding should be present at this time. Pain and other symptoms will start to fade, and you can start introducing more solid foods into your diet, like pancakes and soft bread. Even after a week, though, you should avoid really crunchy or sharp foods.

You can get back to exercising, but you should still take things easy. After 4-5 days, it’s also safe to gently brush the extraction site directly. We recommend avoiding an electric toothbrush for a few weeks, though. Use a soft-bristled manual toothbrush to clean the area.

1-2 Weeks After Implant Surgery

At this time, your mouth will have mostly healed, and you can brush normally and eat your normal diet 2 weeks after your extraction. The extraction site may feel a little tender when you touch it, but you won’t be feeling any significant pain. Your mouth will feel normal.

At this time, you’ll usually also have a follow-up at Lakeview Modern Dentistry so that Dr. DeGroot can check on your progress, and can start making your implant restoration. Make sure to come to all follow-ups as scheduled.

Follow Dr. DeGroot’s Instructions To Heal Quickly And Avoid Complications 

The above tips are helpful, but if you do get a dental implant at Lakeview Modern Dentistry, make sure to consult with the instructions provided to you by Dr. DeGroot. They will outline every step you should take to keep your mouth healthy as you recover. Following them to the letter will ensure a fast, complication-free recovery process.

Interested in dental implants in McFarland? Our team is here to help. Contact us online or call at 608-716-8622 to explore your options for permanent tooth restoration. We’re always accepting new patients.

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$99 New Patient Special

No insurance? No problem. Take charge of your dental health with our $99 New Patient Special, which covers everything you need to start your journey towards a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. This is the best way for you to get to know us, and for us to get to know you. First time patients will receive the following:

 X-Rays
 Cleaning

 Exam
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