Dental implants are placed through a surgical procedure, and it is therefore expected that patients will need some downtime thereafter. In most cases the process is relatively quick and often goes through without any complications. The recovery time however varies across individual based on a number of factors. This includes the number of teeth affected, the state of your oral health, natural healing abilities and most importantly, what you do during the recovery process.
For example, if yours is a simple case where the implants are placed with little to no grafting, you can expect little post-operative discomfort and much quicker recovery. The discomfort will only last a few days with little restrictions to your daily routine. However, if you need to undergo prepping procedures such as bone grafting, the post-operative symptoms may be more pronounced. The pain, swelling and bleeding much more compared to a simple dental implant.
Is Post-Surgery Bleeding Normal?
After getting your dental implants in Houston, it is completely normal to bleed for the first couple of hours. This may continue for up to 72 hours where it will slowly wean off until as a clot forms on the wound. To control any post-surgery bleeding, your dentist will usually place a gauze over the wound. This should be left undisturbed for at least an hour and you may be asked to gently bite down on it to help reduce bleeding. The gauze should be changed every 30 to 45 minutes or as needed.
At Pinnacle Dental, we advise patients not to spit or rinse the mouth for the first couple of hours as doing so may dislodge the clot. When brushing, be gentle and try to avoid the wounded area. It is also necessary to change your diet to softer foods for the firsts couple of weeks. This could be for up to 4 weeks or even longer if the surgery was complicated.
Bleeding after any dental procedure is usually a combination of little blood and lots of saliva. So, although what you see looks like a lot of blood, most of it is just saliva mixed up with your blood. There are however instances where blood may continue to ooze from the wound for longer than usual. In such an event, try to keep your head elevated and apply a moistened tea bag wrapped in gauze. If it persists, consult your dentist.
It is also worth noting that you may bleed from the nose if the implant was placed on the upper arch or you had a sinus lifting.
Pain, Bruising and Swelling After Getting Implants
Other effects from an implant placement include bruising, swelling and pain on the treated area. For the pain, you dentist may prescribe some painkillers to make it comfortable. In the case of bruising and swelling, there isn’t much you can really do but allow it to pass. The bruising is usually on the soft tissues around the area being treated. The area will be discolored as a result of blood flow to the surface when the procedure was ongoing. Swelling is also part of the healing process and is just the body’s way of protecting the wounded area. You can appl ice packs to the swollen area of the face. Both the bruising and swelling should fade away within a weeks’ time.
Smoking After Getting Dental Implants
To avoid complications from dental implants in Houston, TX, it is best that you avoid smoking at all costs. You can completely quit smoking since it puts your entire oral health at risk, or hold it off until you have fully recovered from the procedure. Smoking interferes with the natural healing process and also puts you at risk of infections.
If you are curious to learn more about dental implants near you, visit Pinnacle Dental today. We offer quality dental implants services in 77057 that are geared towards your overall wellness. Our treatment is individualized to meet the needs of each patient whilst ensuring you get the best dental experience. In addition to dental implants, we also offer a variety of cosmetic , restorative and preventive dental services.