First 72 hours

Right after surgery, the focus is on protecting the site. A blood clot will form to kick start healing, and it’s normal to have some swelling or mild bleeding. Pain is manageable with medication prescribed. We’ll give you detailed post-op instructions—things like resting, sleeping with your head elevated, and avoiding hard, spicy, hot or greasy foods or rinsing too soon.

Smoking slows everything down and also increases the risk of infection and bone graft failure, we strongly recommend quitting if you can.

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Days 3–7

Swelling usually starts to go down and any discomfort should ease. The gum tissue begins to close over the graft site. At this point, you’ll want to keep the area clean without disturbing it. Stick to soft foods and avoid chewing on the side of your mouth where the graft was placed.

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Weeks 2–6

You’ll be feeling more comfortable by now. Under the surface, new bone is beginning to form and blood vessels are growing into the grafted area. You can usually start returning to a more normal diet (within reason) and resume gentle brushing near the site, depending on how things are healing.

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Months 2–3

By now, the graft is integrating with your natural bone. The area becomes stronger and more stable, and Dr Ortega may start checking to see if you’re ready to move on to the next phase—usually placing your dental implant.