Get your teeth back! Dental implants can restore aesthetic beauty and function to your smile, but they are investment, requiring both time and financial commitment. Some patients will need bone grafting to achieve optimal results from their implants. This ensures that there sufficient support for your implants and helps to avoid broken implants. Bone grafting also improves the contours of your gum line, for a natural, healthy looking result.
If you need bone grafting, it may take additional time to prepare your mouth for dental implants. This guide will help you understand the recovery process after bone grafting. Contact us today to learn more about your options for dental implants.
Why Do I Need a Bone Graft?
When teeth are missing or removed, the supporting bone underneath shrinks and atrophies. The extraction process can also damage or remove supporting bone. Without sufficient bone quantity and quality, it can be impossible to achieve a healthy and strong dental implant. Bone grafting can restore the bone, helping to improve the results of your dental implants.
Bovine (cow) or human donor grafts are often used, eliminating the need for a second surgical site. This makes bone grafting easier and more comfortable for you, the patient. If large quantities of bone are needed, we may extract bone from the lower jaw to use in your bone graft. Bone can be harvested from the body with minimal risk and no cosmetic deformity.
What’s Recovery Like After Bone Grafting?
Recovery after bone grafting is similar to recovery after tooth extraction. Plan on reducing activity for 4-5 days, although most patients are ready to return much sooner than this. We’ll give you specific recovery instructions before your surgery so you can plan time off work and make needed preparations.
- Pain– Many patients worry about pain after dental procedures. Most find the pain to be minimal and quite tolerable with the use of pain medication. We have a variety of anesthetic and pain management options for your procedure and recovery. Your first dose of pain medication is the most important. Make sure you take before the surgical anesthetic wears off as the initial pain is often the most difficult to get through.
- Diet– Food intake will be limited for the first few days after your procedure. Do not chew over the graft site for the first week. Start with soft, easy to chew foods like mashed potatoes, pastas, and soups. Be careful with food temperatures to avoid burning yourself.
- Hygiene– Good dental hygiene will help you avoid infections. We may provide rinses for you to use or antibiotics for you to take. We’ll give you detailed instructions on how to brush your teeth while you heal.
- Contact Us– Get it touch if you have any questions or concerns throughout the recovery process.
When Can I Receive Dental Implants After Bone Grafting?
Timing for implants varies after bone grafting. Some patients can receive their implants right away and others may need to wait a few months after grafting. We can give you more information about expected timeline during your consultation.
Call and schedule your consultation today.
