Restoring your smile with durable, lifelike dental implants takes a little longer than getting traditional, removable restorations like dental crowns or dentures, but it’s a wait that most patients find is well worth the payoff. However, while it’s understandable that you’d be eager to get started transforming your smile, it’s important that you allow your body time to heal following your dental implant surgery. Here’s a closer look at why the recovery period is such an important step in your restoration journey, and how long you should plan on it taking!
How Much Time Should I Take Off from Work Following Dental Implant Surgery?
Exactly how long you should take off from work following your dental implant surgery procedure depends on the individual patient. A good rule of thumb is that for a single implant, you should take at least one day, and anything more than that plan on at least two days. However, you may choose to stay home for three or more days if you’re able and would like the extra time to recuperate.
How Long Does It Take to Recover from Dental Implant Surgery?
In most cases, patients can resume normal activities 24 hours after their surgery; however, the healing process itself can take anywhere from four to nine months, depending on your individual oral and overall health. This is because the dental implant needs to permanently fuse with the jawbone via a process known as osseointegration. While you may not see or feel it happening, this stage is important for ensuring that your implant is successful and lasts a lifetime.
Once your implant has successfully attached to the jaw, you will return to your dentist’s office to have your abutments placed. These are the small parts that connect the implant post to the crown, bridge, or denture. This procedure requires another minor surgery where your dentist must make incisions in your gums and close them with sutures. In some cases, this can be done when the implants are placed, but not always. Then, following a brief healing period (typically just a few weeks) you’ll return a final time to have your restoration (the teeth!) placed on the abutments. This should be painless and shouldn’t require any downtime to recover. In fact, you can return to work that same day if you’d like!
Why is the Recovery Period So Important After Dental Implant Surgery?
While it can be especially difficult for some people to slow down and focus on self-care, doing so during dental implant treatment is extremely important. Allowing your body proper time to heal will lower your risk of infection, speed up the recovery process, and improve your odds of dental implant success. Thus, be sure to follow your dentist’s aftercare instructions as closely as you can and give yourself permission to relax and recharge instead of rushing back into your daily routine.
Remember, while it’s understandable that you’d want to get back to your daily routine as soon as possible following your upcoming dental implant surgery, the truth is that the more time you allow yourself to heal, the better you’ll feel and the greater the odds your dental implants will be a success. Thus, don’t let yourself feel guilty for taking it easy in the days following your procedure. Take all the time you need to rest, recuperate, and begin the road to recovery for your stunning new smile!
About Our Practice
At Alpharetta Modern Dentistry, Dr. Labastida and Dr. Kakadia are pleased to complete your entire dental implant treatment in-house. Whether you need one tooth replaced or more, it is important to take care of yourself in the days and months following your dental implant surgery, and we’re committed to helping you achieve a successful treatment on our end, too! To schedule a consultation for dental implants and learn more about all the ways these durable, natural-looking restorations can improve your smile and your life, visit our website or call 470-683-6271.