Your dental implant surgery is finally scheduled. You’ve been waiting a long time to replace your missing teeth, and you look forward to having teeth that don’t interfere with your lifestyle like your dentures have. But how much time off will you need to request at work for this procedure?
In this post, you’ll learn what you need to know how soon you can get back to work!
Factors That Affect Your Healing
The following are things that must be accounted for when determining how long you need to give yourself to heal after the implant placement procedure before going back to work:
- How quickly you tend to heal. Some people can bounce back pretty quickly without too much difficulty. For others, the process may be more drawn out.
- How many teeth are being replaced. Getting one implant placed involves less recovery time than having four to eight implants placed for the entire arch.
- How well you follow your dentist’s instructions. Before you leave their office, your dentist will give you a list of directions you need to stick to. Deviating from them could lead to unnecessary complications like pain or an infection.
- How much you rest. When you’ve undergone a surgery, even minor surgery, your body needs plenty of rest. Limit your activity and stay reclined with your head elevated as much as possible for the first couple of days to give yourself the best chances of successful healing.
Ultimately, you need to ask your dentist for their professional opinion to get a clearer idea of a timeline for your specific case.
The Bare Minimum
If you have a job that doesn’t require a lot of movement or activity or one that you can do from home, you could conceivably return to work a day or two after your implant surgery. At that point, you are allowed to use a straw, but you should pace yourself for a few additional days after that as you resume normal activities. If you have a more strenuous job, you may need to take two (or maybe more) days off to recuperate before you get back to your usual schedule.
Rest Now, Smile Later
Although it may seem like a huge inconvenience in the moment to take precious time off work for implant surgery, it’s a small sacrifice in the long run. Considering that dental implants can last up to and even beyond 30 years, taking a few days away from work to recover isn’t bad at all! When your smile is complete, strong, and beautiful again, you’ll be glad you opted for this treatment and took the time and effort to make it happen.
About the Practice
At Peterson & Cammack Dentistry, our team doesn’t offer the same cookie-cutter treatment for everyone. Each patient receives a personalized treatment plan and works with experts in the dental field. Dr. Venn Peterson and Dr. Spenser Cammack have dedicated years of continuing education to implant study, which means they have the skills to perform the procedure in-house. If you would like to meet with Dr. Peterson or Dr. Cammack, you can contact our practice online or by calling 360-459-4420.