I’ve been putting off getting my dental implants because I’ve heard the entire procedure takes quite awhile. I am on the schedule and the first step will begin next week. I’m supposed to head out of town for a long-awaited vacation the following week. Is that enough recovery time? I’m starting to wonder if I need to reschedule the dentist appointment?
-Carolyn in Virginia
There are several things that may impact your recovery time. Everyone is different and recovers at their own pace. Some things to think about are – how many dental implants are being done? Is there any bone grafting required? Where is their placement? These are important questions because typically the top arch can take longer to heal than the bottom arch. For multiple implants, you may be quite sore afterwards and may also be instructed to take some medications to control the pain. You may not feel up for a vacation within days if you require several implants or an entire arch. Lastly, are their teeth that need to be extracted before the surgical post can be put in place? If so, you are also looking at some likely swelling and discomfort.
If the vacation is a must, you may want to reconsider having dental implant surgery at this time. For example, what if you experience some sort of dental emergency or abnormality while away? Ideally, it would be best to have the same implant dentist take care of any problems or post operative appointments. Call up your dentist and discuss these details. He or she knows the particulars of your case and will be your best advocate in the treatment plan.
This post is sponsored by Barrington dentist James T. Gavrilos, DDS