Some All-On-4 patients enjoy the leisure of retirement, but many All-On-4 patients are busy professionals in various fields of work. Often, the patients ask if they should take time off from work. The answer is yes, you should take time off from work, usually 3 days to a week to recuperate.
You might be thinking that this is because you will be in a lot of pain. This is not the case – most patients have very little pain after All-On-4. Click here to read our article on “All-On-4 Dental Implants: Does It Hurt?” to learn how we manage pain during and after the surgery.
The reason why we recommend taking time off is that bruising and swelling can sometimes happen, as well as soreness in the first 3 days.
If you move around a lot at your work, you would want to take at least 1 week off. You don’t want to inadvertently put pressure on the healing gum tissue, bone, implants, or your new smile. You may also raise your heart rate and start bleeding again, which will considerably slow down the healing process. The implant to bone bond actually gets weaker first and then strong, and the weakest point is 2 weeks after surgery. Please try to take it easy the first 2-3 weeks from any movement. Also, avoid going to the gym for 2-3 weeks.
If you work in a customer-facing environment or a place where you have to talk a lot, consider taking 1-2 weeks off or at least have the option ready just in case. The soreness can make it hard for you to talk without discomfort. Bruising and swelling may be a problem concealers can’t cover. Bruises will start appearing a few days after the surgery, and will start fading away after a week, but could linger as well. The swelling will peak at 3 days after the surgery and slowly come back down.
If you want to avoid bruising, do not drink alcohol 24 hours before the surgery. Blood thinners will increase the chance of bruising but do not stop taking blood thinners unless instructed by your physician. If you are taking medications for pain such as aspirin, Advil (ibuprofen), Aleve (naproxen), diclofenac, celecoxib, and meloxicam, you should stop them for 1 week prior to surgery after consulting your physician. If you are taking supplements such as fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids, garlic, high-dose Vitamin E, ginkgo biloba, and St. John’s wort, avoid them for 2 weeks prior to surgery to reduce chances for bruising.
If you want to reduce swelling, the first 3 days are critical. After the surgery, elevate your head by sleeping with multiple pillows. ICE for 15 minutes on, 30 minutes off for the first 3 days, and then you can switch to warm towel compresses afterward. The ice is much more important than the warm towel. The easiest way to ice is by using a couple of frozen vegetable bags wrapped in a thin towel. This way you can alternate the bags – and always use a towel on the skin, otherwise, the bags are too cold on the skin.
If you can work from home with minimal conversations or in front of a computer, you may only need 3 days off. Our All-On-4 surgeries are usually scheduled for Fridays, so you may be able to ease back into work on Monday. However, always have the option of being able to take more days off just in case.
Remember, it is not because of how painful it is, but because of possible soreness, bruising and swelling that you may need to take more time off of work. But if you follow these instructions, you should have the best chance of getting back to work as soon as possible with your brand new smile!
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