As a way to restore your smile, All-on-4 dental implants are truly transformative. You can trust them to bring back your whole grin with just a few metal posts! Still, you need to heal before you can enjoy your treatment results; it’d be good to learn what that involves. The good news is that your Cranford periodontists can help you out. So, here’s a primer on what to expect when recovering from All-on-4 surgery.
What Happens During Recovery from All-on-4 Surgery?
In general, you should expect three things to happen as you recover from All-on-4 surgery. These are the following:
You’ll Feel Woozy for a While
The sedative from your surgery will take a few hours to wear off, so you may feel a bit dizzy in the meantime. Just to be safe, you should have a friend or family member drive you home from treatment. Having someone watch you for the first 12 hours post-surgery would also be a good idea. That way, you can be sure you won’t have any unexpected complications.
Your Mouth Will Ache & Swell
Once the anesthesia from your surgery fades, your mouth will likely ache and swell a little. That’s normal – those symptoms are temporary and will go away after a few days. However, you can still manage the effects with painkillers or cold ice packs if necessary. These methods should numb your pain for a while and reduce some of the swelling.
You’ll Follow a Soft-Food Diet
To ensure your implant posts fuse with your jaw, you’ll need to follow a soft and liquid diet plan for about three months. Tough foods would threaten the implant fusion and potentially ruin your treatment. As for the specifics of your diet, some good examples are soup, smoothies, scrambled eggs, pasta, and cooked veggies.
Can You Speed Up the Recovery Process?
To really speed up your recovery from All-on-4 surgery, use the tips and tricks below:
- Take the Right Medicines – If your dentist prescribed any medications for you, remember to take them as instructed.
- Don’t Touch the Surgical Site – Make sure you don’t touch the treatment site while it’s healing. Otherwise, you could irritate the area and delay your recovery.
- Avoid Strenuous Activity – You should avoid intense exercise right after treatment. Raised blood pressure could stop you from healing properly if you don’t.
- Drink Lots of Water – Following your surgery, try to stay hydrated so your body can heal as it should.
Recovering from All-on-4 surgery takes time, but the results are well worth it. Keep that in mind while you wait to use your newly-restored grin!
About the Practice
Cranford Center for Periodontics & Dental Implants is based in Cranford, NJ. Led by our four great periodontists, our practice specializes in advanced smile restorations. That work can range from gum disease treatment and tooth extractions to various kinds of dental implant surgery. Regardless, you can expect a full and thriving grin at the end of our procedures! For more details or to book a visit, please reach us on our website or by phone at (908)-709-6777.