Dental Bone Graft Recovery: What to Expect
Patients who have suffered jawbone atrophy can gain candidacy for dental implants by undergoing bone graft surgery. The straightforward procedure places donor bone or grafting material in pockets of recessed jawbone.
Drs. Alex and Jason Hecht are experts in the field of bone graft surgery and dental implant placement. Following the augmentation of your jaw at our Staten Island, NY, dental practice, you can become a candidate for dental implant placement. It can take up to a few months for your jawbone to fully heal following this procedure. In this blog post, we explain what patients can expect during their dental bone grafting recovery period.
Initial Recovery
Following your bone graft surgery in Staten Island, you will be released to have someone drive you home. If you underwent oral sedation, you may feel drowsy for a few hours. Patients should fully rest for the first day after bone graft surgery.
Swelling, soreness, and discomfort are to be expected. One of our doctors will prescribe pain medications to manage discomfort. You will be given detailed recovery guidelines that are to be followed closely. The guidelines will provide advice on the following areas.
Rest
To avoid aggravating your sutures or injuring yourself, reduce physical activities for two to three days following surgery. Sleep with your head elevated and rest as frequently as possible. After three days, you may slowly resume normal physical activities. Ask your dentist when it is appropriate to resume exercising or other strenuous forms of activity.
Oral Hygiene
Keeping your mouth and sutures clean is important. Brush very gently around the surgical site and avoid using an electric toothbrush until your gums heal. Using a therapeutic mouthwash three times a day can also reduce your risk of infection.
Diet
Avoid using a straw or anything that creates the need for sucking. Doing so could dislodge the bone graft. Cold foods can be soothing. Hot foods can be of concern if your gums are still bleeding. Soft foods like Jell-O, yogurt, milkshakes, and oatmeal are less likely to aggravate your surgical site.
Pain
Pain should steadily subside as you heal. You may be given prescription pain meds that need to be taken at regular intervals. One those have been used, over-the-counter meds can manage lingering discomfort. If you experience any sharp spike in pain, please contact our Staten Island office to let us know. Nausea and vomiting should similarly be reported to our office.
Final Recovery
After your initial healing period, your bone graft will fuse with nearby bone tissue over the course of the next few months. Once your graft has fully healed, a date can be set to place one or more dental implants. With the added strength of a bone graft, you can enjoy a low risk of dental implant failure.
Schedule Your Bone Grafting Surgery Today
Post-operative care is important. Following your recovery guidelines can lower your risk of side effects and complications. At all times, you will have the help and advice of our skilled dental team to guide you through your recovery. Dr. Alex Hecht has over 30 years of professional dental experience.
To schedule your bone graft surgery, please contact our office online or call (718) 521-2571.