If you are someone who is planning to get an implant done or has gotten an implant, you must be wondering about the dental implant recovery time. Because, the recovery following the dental implant procedure is as important as the procedure itself because this is what ensures the implant success and longevity.
There are different types of implants and implant procedures. A simple endosteal implant is placed directly into the bone and is ideal to replace one or more missing teeth whereas a subperiosteal implant is placed a bit superficially. Zygomatic implants are placed into the zygoma or cheek bone.
The recovery and healing process is different for each type. Before diving into the healing process, understand that implant procedure takes place under 2 major steps.
1. Implant placement
This is the step where the implant post or screw is placed into your bone. Implants are a long lasting option for teeth replacement. This is because they integrate with the bone and form a solid foundation. Hence proper bone density is required for the placement of the implant.
In this step the implant placement will be done and sutures will be placed. Following this step, there might be a recovery period of 7 – 10 days. You can still carry on with your normal functions but we suggest you take good rest at least for the next couple of days following the procedure. Slight pain and discomfort for the next couple of days is natural but can be maintained with medication.
Sometimes, if the patient doesn’t have enough bone density, a “bone graft” might be placed inside the bone for new bone formation, before the implant screw is placed. This might add a couple days to the treatment procedure. Depending on the patient, it may range from 10 days to even a few months.
- Tips to follow during this recovery phase
- Immediately after the treatment, bite on the gauze placed by the dentist for at least an hour.
- Do not touch the area with your tongue and do not brush hard on that area.
- Avoid hot, hard and spicy food. Follow a soft diet
- Maintaining hygiene is very important. Bacteria and infection can lead to implant failure so practise salt water rinses at least twice a day
- It is best to avoid foods that can cause pus formation like - red meat and lentils for the next couple of days
- Smoking and alcohol consumption is a hard no because these affect not only the bone healing, but also the implant integration with the bone.
- Follow a diet rich in iron and calcium. Green leafy vegetables, dairy products, and calcium supplements are a good option. This is to ensure healthy healing of the bone.
Crown placement
The actual crown placement happens around three to six months after the placement of the implant screw/post. This is the ideal time required for the bone to grow and fuse into the titanium body of the implant. You might require regular checkups to see the progress of the implant. The level of bone integration might also be visualised on radiography.
Now for this procedure, the dentist will remove the gum grown on top of the Implant screw. The implant head or abutment will then be attached to the implant screw. Following this, the dentist will take an impression and send it to the lab for crown preparation.
This procedure is comparatively quicker, but note that it is best to follow the same post care protocol so as to ensure proper healing and no post-op infection.
- Factors determining the healing time
- Number of implants - all the implants can heal with the same time period but at-home patient care will need to be altered accordingly
- Position of the implant - implants placed endosteal in the lower arch are said to heal quicker when compared to complex ones like zygoma upper arch implants
- Bone graft - the placement and success of the bone graft also determines the time and recovery for the implant
- Systemic disorders - if the patient is someone with slow healing, slow metabolism, low immunity, or has pre-existing conditions like diabetes and hypertension, the healing time might be altered
- Overall oral hygiene - be sure to protect the area from infection as much as you can to ensure successful recovery.
Dental implants might seem like a big scary thing but we at Sri Satya Dental Hospital are determined to make the procedure and recovery as smooth as we can for you. Contact us now.
