How Long Will Dental Implants Take to Recover?
To understand how long dental implants take to heal, let’s understand what they are first. Dental implants are synthetic tooth root replacements that come in either fixed or removable models. The average amount of time that it takes to recover from a dental implant surgery entirely is about 6 to 8 months; however, this can increase depending on any pre-existing conditions or special procedures that have to be completed before you get the surgery.
Dental implant surgery is a procedure that involves replacing a tooth’s root with synthetic materials such as screw-like posts or metals. Dental implants are no joke, and the entire procedure should be taken seriously to avoid any issues during the recovery process or while the surgery is taking place.
Why someone might get dental implants
Most people who get dental implants are forced to due to extenuating conditions such as oral injury, periodontal disease, and tooth decay. At their core, dental implants are replacement tooth roots that are made to resemble your natural teeth as closely as possible. They come in two variations: removable and permanent dental implants, the type of implant you receive will depend on your specific oral condition.
If you’ve recently undergone a dental implant surgery or have one planned for the near future, you will want to continue reading this article to find useful tips and information to help you recover from your surgery much more comfortably.
Average Recovery Time for Dental Implants
The average recovery time for a dental implant procedure is about 6 to 8 months; however, your recovery period can be longer depending on the initial issue that caused the need for dental implants and any unique additions that your surgery includes, like bone grafts.
The success rate of dental implant surgeries varies based upon the specific location in the jaw where the implants are placed. Typically, dental implant surgeries have about a 98% success rate for most patients. Your doctor will be able to give you more accurate information about the success rate of your procedure based on the personalized health data they have already collected. To further understand how long dental implants take to heal, let’s break down the benefits.
Dental implants come with many benefits; some of them include:
- Enhanced Comfort
Implants are more comfortable than dentures because they slowly adapt to your mouth’s biology over time. This can make it more comfortable to eat your food and engage in regular activities that require your mouth.
- Improved Durability
Implants are built to last and can withstand constant use in your mouth for years. A lot of implants are so well designed that they can actually last a lifetime if taken care of properly.
- Easier digestion/eating
Trying to eat with regular dentures can be difficult as they tend to slide. On the other hand, dental implants make it much easier for you to eat and digest food thanks to the fact that they use a stationary design.
- Better Speech
Dental implants can help you improve your speech by allowing you to speak correctly because they are aligned with your mouth’s natural shape.
All you need are healthy gums and enough bone mass to hold the implant to be eligible to receive a dental implant. In most cases, your dental implant procedure will not be covered under your existing dental coverage so that is something to keep in mind prior to actually getting the surgery.
People who suffer from pre-existing conditions such as heart disease and diabetes will have to be evaluated on an individual basis to see if they are eligible to receive a dental implant. Before getting your dental implants, you will be given local anesthesia to reduce the overall amount of pain you experience when undergoing the procedure.
These are all essential pieces of knowledge that you need to know to ensure your dental implant procedures go as smoothly as possible.
How to Speed Up Your Dental Implant Recovery Process
As we stated before, the average recovery time for dental implants can take months. However, when using the proper care techniques, you can reduce the amount of time it takes to recover from dental implant surgery.
- Whether you smoke tobacco products or not
- Diabetic diagnosis
- The number of dental implants that you receive
- Whether you follow all of your dentist’s personalized instructions
- Whether or not you have enough existing healthy bone mass for the implants to bind to
All of these factors will directly impact how long it takes for you to recover from dental implant surgery fully. During the healing process, make sure you avoid any hard or crunchy foods as they can ruin your implants leading to more issues down the road.
If you do not have enough pre-existing bone material to support implants, you may need to undergo a bone grafting to ensure that your implant stays in place after the surgery is complete. The more rest and proper dieting that you do during your recovery process to substantially reduce the amount of time you’re out of commission.
You may feel some slight pain or notice small bleeding after the procedure; however, this is entirely normal and should not cause alarm.