After All-On-4 dental implant surgery comes the recovery process and the pathway toward getting back to your normal life with your new teeth. How long does that recovery time take and what can you do to make sure everything goes smoothly? Here is our guide to recovering from All-On-4 dental implant surgery.
How Long Does it Take to Recover From All-On-4 Implant Dental Surgery?
The amount of time it takes to fully recover after dental surgery depends on a few factors like your health, how well you maintain and treat your new implants, and whether or not your surgery required a bone graft.
Though most of the time an All-On-4 procedure won’t require a bone graft, sometimes it is necessary for those without sufficient jaw strength. If that’s the case, the extra procedure means a longer recovery time.
Everyone’s recovery time will be different, but a general timeline is somewhere between 5-9 months before your mouth is fully healed. Most of the healing won’t be painful or even felt at all, but you still need to be cautious during the process.
What Is the Recovery Process Like?
Dental implant surgery is an outpatient procedure which means you’ll be home the same day as your surgery and—other than a few return checkups—that’s where most of your recovery will take place.
Some things you can expect during the All-On-4 recovery process are:
- Some blood from the surgical site in the early days post-surgery.
- Swelling of the face and gums.
- Occasional pain in the area along with some bruising.
To remedy these symptoms, your doctor might prescribe an antibiotic to help with pain and healing.
How to Help Your Recovery Process
If you take care of your implants, they’ll take care of you. There are a number of things you can do to ensure your implants heal correctly and quickly.
- Follow the instructions of your doctor: Your doctor is your best resource for what to and what not to do. Follow their instructions closely and contact them if you have any questions. Don’t be afraid to make additional appointments.
- Clean thoroughly: Proper dental hygiene is crucial during the recovery process. Proper brushing technique, flossing, and cleaning in each and every crevice is important in order to let your implants heal properly.
- Don’t smoke: Smoking tobacco can greatly increase the chances of infection and even stain your implants.
- Watch What You Eat: Eating tough, chewy, or crunchy foods too soon can harm your implants and affect the recovery process. Avoid foods like nuts, hard candies, gum, popcorn, etc.
As stated above, if you have any questions about what you can or cannot do or If you notice anything unusual with your implants like strange sounds or feelings, contact your doctor right away.
Getting All-On-4 dental implants is an exciting time and the recovery process can feel infinite as you wait to return to normal life to enjoy your new teeth. If you follow these tips and steps, consult with your doctor, and take care of your new implants, you can ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible.
If you have any questions about All-On-4 dental implants, schedule an appointment with us today!
