You were so excited to replace your missing teeth with dental implants, only for your oral surgeon to tell you that you needed a dental bone graft first. Don’t worry; this procedure is fairly common, as well as incredibly safe. Plus, it will strengthen your jawbone and give your new pearly whites a strong, healthy foundation. That being said, you’ll need to take a few days afterward to heal. Read on as an oral surgeon shares three tips for a smooth and successful recovery after dental bone grafting.
1. Get Plenty of Rest
Just like with any type of oral surgery, it’s important to take it easy for a few days following your dental bone graft. Even if you feel well enough to resume your normal schedule, you should try not to overexert yourself. Vigorous physical activity could divert blood away from your jaw, causing the healing process to take longer.
To encourage your jaw to heal more quickly, keep your head elevated while you rest in bed. You can do this by propping several pillows on top of each other.
2. Avoid Tobacco/Nicotine
During your recovery, do your utmost to avoid consuming products that contain tobacco or nicotine. Not only do these substances hinder your body’s ability to heal and combat infections, but they also interfere with the process of the grafting material fusing to your natural bone. Tobacco may also worsen post-op bleeding. Additionally, the last thing you want to do is introduce harsh chemicals to the treatment site while you’re trying to recover.
3. Take Medications as Directed
Your surgeon will most likely prescribe medications for you to take following your procedure, such as antibiotics and painkillers. Antibiotics are vital in preventing infection, which could compromise your bone graft and ultimately cause it to fail. Be sure to take each pill at the time instructed and to finish the entire dose.
You’ll also want to carefully follow your surgeon’s guidelines when it comes to pain management. It’s normal to experience some soreness and general discomfort, especially in the first 24 to 48 hours, but be careful to not take too much of the pain medication they have prescribed. If your mouth still hurts, holding a cold compress to the outside of your cheek can create a numbing effect.
By keeping these tips in mind, you can expect the dental bone graft recovery process to go smoothly. Then, you can look forward to your dental implants having the strong support they need to last a lifetime!
About the Practice
With two board-certified oral surgeons and a board-certified periodontist on our team, you can rest assured that your smile is in great hands here at Texas Dental Surgery. We’re happy to perform dental bone grafting in Prosper, TX, as well as dental implant placement, wisdom tooth extractions, periodontal surgery, and various advanced procedures to help our patients, well, prosper! We even offer non-opioid pain medication to further enhance your safety. For more tips on recovering from a dental bone graft, you can reach out to us via our website or by calling 469-296-8680.