Dental Implant Surgery Recovery Timeline

If you are considering dental implants or have already decided they are the best option for replacing missing or damaged teeth, you must understand what the procedures entail from start to finish.

By negative, we mean elements such as the minor side effects that occur after surgery, or the recovery process, which is not something that will happen within 24 hours.

We hope you agree that as a patient, you have the right to know what to expect before, during, and after any treatment you may have to undergo, and that same principle applies to having dental implants fitted.

One aspect of the procedure that our patients are most keen to hear about is the recovery timetable.

Let us say right away that each person’s recovery may follow slightly different timescales, which is to be expected given that each individual has a different physiology and that each body’s recovery speed will differ.

So, the recovery timeline we are about to explain to you should not be considered exact for how long your own recovery from dental implant surgery might be, but rather an indication of what it should be, based on our experience and observations of previous patients’ recovery timelines.

Following Surgery

This will differ depending on whether you have a local or general anaesthetic. If general, you should certainly have someone drive you home, and you may feel really tired or groggy for a few hours.

In both cases, you will have some medical gauze placed over the surgical wound, and this can be removed within an hour.

When you remove the gauze, the bleeding should have stopped, but if there is any further slight bleeding then place another piece of gauze on the wound and bite down on it for 15 minutes.

First 48 Hours

For the first couple of days following your dental implant surgery, you may experience a number of minor side effects, all of which are normal and to be expected, These include discoloration of your gums, swelling, minor bleeding, and some pain or discomfort.

Painkillers can address any pain and the bleeding should stop, however, if it persists then try biting down on a wet tea bag, as the tannic acid within the tea helps shrink blood vessels and as such it helps stem bleeding.

As for any facial swelling, a cold compress placed on the swollen area every alternate 20 minute period should help reduce the swelling.

First 7 Days

You should start to see and feel any swelling, pain, and discomfort diminish as the first week progresses, and by day 7 all bleedings should have stopped.

Nevertheless, you should continue to take any prescribed medication, including painkillers. You might still find eating feel a bit strange, but after 7 days your confidence will start to grow with respect to eating those foods that require you to bite or chew.

First 3 Months

As the days and weeks go by, all pain and discomfort should disappear, but it is important to understand that healing is still taking place within your jawbone all this time.

This forms part of the process to help the titanium screws of your dental implants become more strongly embedded, and thus more durable.

Any oral hygiene advised by your dental professional should continue to be followed, and you should also ensure that you attend any appointments at your dental practice that have been pre-arranged to check your dental implants.