The need for a bone graft arises when a patient has inadequate bone material to support osseointegration of the dental implant, which is the process in which the bone fuses to the implant and makes it a permanent part of the mouth’s structure. If a patient has experienced bone loss, the oral surgeon may determine that the patient is not a good candidate for immediate dental implant placement.
The recovery timeframe will depend on the patient’s specific needs, such as the amount of bone that must be grafted, overall health and other factors. As part of your bone graft treatment planning, your oral surgeon will give you more guidance on what to expect for a healing timeline.
Any complications that develop after your bone graft could delay your healing, so it’s important to follow your surgeon’s post-operative instructions closely to minimize that risk. For example, smoking can interfere with the healing process, so you will be directed to abstain from cigarettes, cigars or pipes if you are a smoker.
You will have regularly scheduled follow-up appointments so that your surgeon can monitor your healing from the bone graft. You will get a better sense of the healing timeline as things progress. If you have any serious symptoms, such as persistent bleeding or severe discomfort, contact our office immediately so that the issue can be addressed.
Bone grafts do extend the treatment timeline for dental implants, so it’s important to be prepared for this aspect of the intervention. You’ll reap the benefits of that additional time in the end, though. Ask our surgeons what to do to make sure that the healing process goes as smoothly as possible.
Call our caring team at Commonwealth Oral & Facial Surgery today!