When can I exercise after bone grafting?

When can I exercise after bone grafting?

bone grafting North OklahomaSome patients will need to undergo bone grafting prior to having dental implants in order for those dental implants to “take” or osseointegrate.

As is the case with any type of oral surgery, patients will have some restrictions on their activity levels after a bone graft procedure.

In order to achieve the expected results from dental implant placement, patients must follow all post-operative instructions provided by the oral surgeon, including those regarding exercise. If you have any questions about those instructions, don’t hesitate to call our office and ask for further clarification.

Bone Grafting Procedure: The Basics

Bone grafting is needed when a patient has already experienced substantial bone loss at the dental implant site or if there is a congenital defect affecting the quality and quantity of available bone tissue at the site.

In performing a bone graft, the oral surgeon will obtain donor bone tissue from a site elsewhere in the patient’s body or from an external source and insert it at the dental implant site.

After the patient has healed completely from the bone graft, the surgeon can move forward with treatment. It is important to closely follow all post-operative instructions after bone grafting. Doing so will greatly reduce your risk of complications that could compromise your healing and extend your treatment timeline.

How Exercise Affects Healing

One such post-operative instruction is to limit vigorous physical activity. Patients will need to wait at least a week before resuming an exercise routine, and in some cases it may be longer. Your surgeon will give you more specific details

Intense exercise can interfere with the healing process by jarring the surgical site. This can cause bleeding or dislodge sutures, for example. Resting for the first few days after bone grafting also will conserve energy that can then be directed to the healing process.

Other Considerations For Recovering After Your Bone Graft

Exercise isn’t the only consideration for healing after your bone graft. Patients will also want to take steps to:

  • Prevent infection
  • Avoid disturbing the graft site for the first few days
  • Eat properly

In order to reduce your risk of infections or other issues that will derail your healing, your surgeon may prescribe a preventive course of antibiotics and give you instructions for using a gentle touch to keep the sensitive area clean.

The instructions that you will receive after your bone grafting are essential. Follow them to the letter, and call our team at Central Oklahoma Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates if you have any questions or if there’s something that you don’t understand.