Your dentist may have prepared you for the day of your dental implant surgery, but you still may have questions about what happens afterwards. Here are a few things to know about the recovery process and beyond.

Recovery Times Can Vary

Your dental implant will be going through the osseointegration process, which is when the titanium post integrates with the jawbone. However, the time frame for this process can vary between people. It really depends on if you have bone grafting performed, the placement in your mouth, and your health. That's why your dentist will give you a very long time frame for when the implant will fully integrate itself with your mouth. 

You May Need To Return To Uncover The Implant

It is common for the dentist to cover the implants by placing it beneath the gums, which prevents damage from happening during the osseointegration process. If this is the case in your procedure, you'll need to return to the dentist to have the implant uncovered. The procedure the uncover the implant is much easier than the original procedure, and it will then take a couple of weeks for the gums to heal from the second procedure. 

Brushing Your Teeth Is Crucial

While implants cannot suffer from decay, you can still get periodontal disease at the site of the implant. That's why it's crucial that you continue to brush and floss your teeth around the implant just as if it is a natural tooth. You don't want to put your new implant at risk because you feel like that part of your mouth is a place that you can ignore when it comes to keeping it clean.

Avoid Smoking

One of the worst things that you can do for the health of your new dental implant is smoking. Since you are taking such a big step in improving your teeth, you should consider using this as a good reason to quit smoking as well. Smoking will be a big contributor to your implant failing, and it's better to not risk it. If you ended up losing a tooth already because of oral health problems, know that smoking will only make things work. 

Manage Your Diabetes

While it is possible for someone with diabetes to get a dental implant, poorly managing their diabetes can cause the implant to fail. You'll want to do all you can for the health of your body to avoid complications, and since diabetics have a problem with their body healing slower than most people, managing your diabetes is crucial during recovery. 

Reach out to a clinic like Dental Clinic of Onalaska to learn more about dental implants.