How Long is Recovery From Dental Bone Grafting?
Recovery from bone grafting in the mouth may not be the same for everyone; instead, it depends on following the instructions after the procedure, your general health, and the type of graft used for your treatment. The procedure itself usually takes one or two hours, and your healing starts in the dental chair. When discussing treatment plan options with the dentist and planning for your bone graft, you will be able to predict the general timeline for your recovery and avoid complications along the way.
Usually, the first stage for healing lasts about fourteen days; this is when the soft gum tissue around the incision site closes. The graft site will be tender, and you may feel some discomfort and experience some minor bleeding or swelling. You should be able to encourage healing and prevent infection by using cold compresses, resting, and taking the prescribed medication. The dentist may even suggest an over-the-counter pain relief medication to use as a step in your aftercare.
The remaining portion of the healing process will take more time; it can last between three and nine months. The new bone tissue that has been added needs to integrate into the bone tissue already in your mouth. This process is called osseointegration, and it allows the dentist to reinforce a small area of minimal bone loss or to address larger, more complex areas of bone loss. If you require a larger graft or your particular case is more complex, your mouth will need more time to heal.
Osseointegration and your overall healing from the bone grafting procedure rely upon a number of factors. Maintaining good oral hygiene habits is critical. People who manage their diabetes and who quit smoking before the bone grafting procedure, as well as during the entire healing process, will have a shorter recovery time.
While you are healing from the gum graft, the dentist may want to monitor your graft's progress during follow-up appointments. Because the majority of osseointegration will be taking place under gum tissue, the dentist may use imaging or X-rays to review the procedure’s success. If your gum graft is one step in a larger treatment plan, like receiving a dental implant, you will need to wait until the bone is stable enough to support the implant before moving forward to the next phase.
During recovery, it is vital for you to be mindful about how you eat to protect the fragile new tissue. For the first few days after the procedure, consuming mushy food is best. You must refrain from chewing in the vicinity of that graft site for a number of weeks. Be sure to keep brushing and flossing, yet give more care to that area of your mouth. The dentist may suggest special techniques or modifications to be sure that your graft stays free from bacteria and debris.
If you have more questions about dental bone grafting or how addressing it could work as a part of your treatment plan to achieve better dental health, make an appointment with the dentist to see if bone grafting is the best option for you.