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What to Expect When Healing From a Dental Bone Graft
Posted on 10/11/2021 by Dr. Michael Allard
It is natural to worry about what will happen when you are healing from a dental bone graft as a dental patient. You might be wondering if you'll have discomfort or need medication, how long the process will take, and if your teeth can shift back into their original position. Read on for answers to these questions and more in this blog post about what to expect during bone grafting.
What should you expect when healing from this surgery?
When healing from a dental bone graft, you might not eat the same foods you were used to eating. Soft and moist foods like mashed potatoes or yogurt are gentle on your mouth while coming back together after surgery. You may also experience some pain when there's pressure on the grafted area of your jaw—a certain amount of discomfort is normal. However, if it's too much and you're in a lot of pain, let your doctor know—they may prescribe some medication to help ease the pain until it subsides on its own.
In general, you can count on the healing process taking about three months if only one tooth is being grafted or six months if multiple teeth are being grafted. However, your implants must be healed completely before wearing a retainer.
We will ensure that everything has healed properly by taking x-rays and impressions before placing the final restoration. This will also allow us to see how well your bone is growing around the implant, which can be helpful when working out details of future treatment plans with you.
Tips on how to care for your mouth post-procedure
Caring for your mouth post-procedure will help ensure that everything heals properly and you can start enjoying all of the foods again. Avoid eating anything hard or crunchy like chips, ice cream cones, whole apples (yes, we know they're delicious!), pears, carrots, etc. As always, brushing twice a day with an antibacterial toothpaste and flossing once a day is important to prevent bacteria buildup, which can lead to infection.
We hope that this article has helped you understand the dental bone graft procedure and what to expect during your recovery process. If you have any questions, please stop by our practice or give us a call at (xxx) to answer them for you in person!