Recovery after a bone graft
What follows a bone graft, and how long the site takes to be ready for an implant.
How recovery goes
The first 24 hours
Keep the gauze pressed on for as long as we tell you and hold ice, wrapped in a towel, on your cheek with breaks. Don't rinse hard, spit, smoke or drink through a straw: suction can dislodge the graft material.
Eat soft, lukewarm food on the other side and take the recommended painkiller at the times written down.
The first 3 days
Swelling and a bruise on the cheek are more likely than after a simple implant and usually peak on the second or third day. Sleep with your head slightly raised.
The first two weeks
Avoid the area when brushing until the check-up where we remove the stitches. If you wear a removable denture, use it only as we told you, so it doesn't press on the area.
Until the implant
The new bone matures over a few months. When the implant can go in is decided on a follow-up X-ray, not by the calendar.
This is usual
- Swelling and bruising on the cheek in the first days.
- A few small sand-like granules in your mouth in the first days.
- Light bleeding on the first day.
- Discomfort that eases with the recommended painkiller.
This is not usual
- Swelling still growing after the third day.
- A lot of material coming out, or the stitches coming loose.
- A bad taste or pus.
- A temperature above 38°C.
Call us if
- Bleeding that doesn't stop after 30 minutes of steady pressure.
- Swelling spreading towards the eye or the throat, or difficulty swallowing.
- Difficulty breathing: call 112.
Reviewed by Dr. Voinea ·
CMDR Romania · Galați University of Medicine and Pharmacy · General Dentistry