Steps Toward Healthy Oral Surgery Recovery

Oral surgery is necessary for the placement of dental implants or even extraction of wisdom or infected teeth. Teeth may be impacted or trapped within the jaw bone, which damages neighboring teeth. Through surgery, however, there is an opportunity to remove and assess these problems.

After surgery, it is normal for the treatment site to be sore or tender for the first few days. However, over-the-counter pain medication, or pain medication that was specifically prescribed for your procedure, can relieve any discomfort you feel.

At Lorton-Springfield Dental Implant & Oral Surgery, we ensure the highest level of comfort possible during procedures and provide advice on post-surgery oral care.

Here are suggestions for ensuring a healthy and speedy recovery following your oral surgery:

Rinse Frequently:

Keeping the blood clot in place is critical to ensuring successful recovery following teeth extraction. If the clot becomes dislodged, the bone and nerves are exposed, increasing pain. Exposure also leaves these tissues vulnerable to dry socket. To prevent this post-surgery infection, rinse your mouth as recommended by your oral surgeon and avoid touching the treated area.

Ice Regularly:

Post-treatment swelling can be extremely uncomfortable. To help alleviate some of the pain, be sure to apply ice packs at 15 minute intervals. Elevating the head and neck above the heart can also help reduce discomfort during recovery.

Stay Clean:

While patients should avoid brushing or floss teeth near the surgical area, that doesn’t exempt them from maintaining oral hygiene during the recovery. To ensure treated areas remain clean, remember to rinse gently using lukewarm salt water, especially after meals. When given the all clear by your surgeon to resume a normal hygiene routine, be gentle on your smile.

Watch Your Diet

Hot, crunchy, or hard foods can prolong the healing process, preventing patients from enjoying a speedy recovery. Until your smile heals, be sure to follow a well-balanced diet that is rich in vitamins A and C.

 While these tips are common sense, make sure you follow them ensure optimum recovery time without any complications.Depending on the type of surgery you are recovering from, you may also receive additional instructions. Be sure to follow these directives closely and keep all post-treatment appointments to ensure proper healing. 

If there are any complications after surgery, whether or not they occur because of the above information, contact our office immediately. 

Contact us for more information!

Oral surgeon Snehal Dr. Patel, of Lorton, VA and Springfield, VA, and our medical staff are committed to providing care before, during, and after surgery. If you have any questions about healthy recovery steps after oral surgery, contact Lorton-Springfield Dental Implant & Oral Surgery. 

Understanding the Dental Implant Treatment Process

Compared to traditional restorations like partials, full dentures, and bridges, dental implants and implant-based restorative treatments offer an innovative solution to replacing missing or severely damaged teeth. However, the longevity of this treatment is based on the success of each stage of the implant process. These unique phases include:

Planning
During this stage, advanced diagnostic tools are used to provide our dentist with an in-depth look at the condition of a patient’s smile. At Lorton-Springfield Dental Implants and Oral Surgery, cone beam digital imaging is used to generate three-dimensional models of the patient’s mouth and jaw bone. Not only do these tools allow our dentist to determine whether a patient is an ideal candidate for dental implants, but they also provide our oral surgeon with the means to plan the strategic placement of the implants.

For patients requiring preliminary treatment to strengthen the jaw bone prior to the placement of dental implants, cone beam imaging helps Dr. Patel to pinpoint areas of bone deterioration and incorporate necessary pre-treatments into the larger implant procedure to ensure long-term success.

Placement & Recovery
Once any preliminary bone grafting or ridge augmentation procedures have been completed, Northern Virginia oral surgeon Dr. Snehal Patel uses computer-guided surgery to precisely embed the implant into jaw bone. To help patients remain comfortable during this surgical procedure, our team offers several different sedation options.

During the recovery phase following implant placement, the implant and bone slowly merge, known osseointegration. The successful completion of this naturally-occurring phenomenon helps the implant become an integral part of the dentition. Over the course of recovery, patients visit our Lorton and Springfield practices to ensuring successful healing and integration.

Restoration
Towards the end of the recovery phase, visits to our oral surgery practices also include creation of the restoration. Depending on your oral health needs, the prosthetic you receive may range from a single porcelain crown to comprehensive arch replacement with a hybrid denture or implant-supported overdentures.

Schedule your Implant Consultation Today
Dr. Patel and his team are dedicated to helping patients find the right solution for their dental needs. With offices located in Springfield, VA and Lorton, VA, Lorton-Springfield Dental Implants and Oral Surgery offers diverse implant-based treatments tailored to meet your goals. We welcome new patients are well as referrals. To learn more about the long-term benefits of this restorative treatment plan, contact our oral surgeon today.