Do you travel frequently for work or pleasure? If so, you might wonder how oral surgery, such as dental implant placement, might affect your routine. Will you have to stay in one place for a while, or will it be safe for you to travel pretty soon after your procedure? The answer really depends on your health, how you feel, and the details of your surgery. Read this blog post to discover some helpful information.
When Can You Fly?
If you receive a single dental implant, and your case has no complicating factors, you may be able to fly within just a few days of your surgery. You might experience some extra soreness on the plane due to changes in air pressure, but flying is unlikely to pose any major problems for your recovery. Be sure to bring a comfy pillow and some pain medications so you can relax during your flight.
However, if you receive multiple dental implants or have to undergo complex implant procedures, such as a sinus lift or bone graft, your oral surgeon may urge you to wait 10 – 14 days before you get on a plane. Flying could increase your discomfort, and the physical exertion involved in travel could slow down your recovery. Plus, you should stay fairly close to your surgeon’s office on the off chance that a post-op complication arises.
What About Long Road Trips?
Long car rides do not involve the same level of exertion or the extreme elevation changes that you would have to deal with while flying. Therefore, if you need to hope in the car for a long trip fairly soon after your surgery, it should be safe for you to do so. Just keep the following points in mind:
- It can take 24 – 48 hours for dental sedation to wear off. You should not drive if you are feeling groggy, have brain fog, or notice the influence of sedation in other ways.
- Listen to your body. Rest plays an important role in the body’s healing process. It may be best to reserve at least a few days after your surgery to let your mouth get a good start on its recovery.
Follow Your Oral Surgeon’s Recommendations
Depending on the details of your case, your oral surgeon may have some recommendations that are different from the suggestions in this blog post. Their guidance should take priority. They want you to heal well so your implants will have the best chance of success possible!
Meet the Practice
Drs. Steve Koo and William Shepard are the board-certified oral surgeons in our practice. They perform precise dental implant placement and other advanced procedures. If you have questions about what to expect while recovering from oral surgery, they and our team would be happy to speak with you. Contact our Katy office at 832-353-1100.