What To Expect With Dental Implant Recovery

Dental implants are an increasingly popular smile makeover procedure for people who are missing teeth. That’s because implants restore the benefits of natural teeth, both by protecting against bone loss and also allowing people with implants to once again smile, talk, and eat with ease.

When Dr. Grieger places a dental implant, she attaches a tiny titanium post in the jawbone and connects a fixed bridge, single crown, complete denture, or partial denture on top. Like any other surgery, dental implants need time and TLC for proper recovery. 

How Long Does Implant Pain Last?

• Day 1: You may experience mild bleeding around the implant incision site. This is normal and should clear up within the first few hours after surgery. 
• Day 3: By the 3rd day, most of the bruising should have subsided. 
• Day 7: Many people experience stiff jaw muscles, sore tongue and throat, and dryness. This is normal and usually subsides by day 7.

Your discomfort following implant placement will depend on several factors: how much you’re having done, your general health, and how well you can support your recovery. For instance, if you underwent a simple placement surgery that did not require any grafting, you’ll likely have minimal swelling and discomfort in the first few days. 

However, some people take longer to heal than others, and those receiving multiple implants or bone grafts can expect a longer recovery process with discomfort at the multiple incision sites. 

Either way, the team at KORsmiles Dental in Scottsdale, AZ will support your recovery process by giving you post-op care and instructions. Dr. Grieger can prescribe medicine to treat your pain. 

How Long Do Implants Take to Heal? 

Dental implant recovery time is a lot like discomfort: it depends on multiple factors, such as:

• Type of surgery required. A single implant heals faster than multiple implants. Grafts take longer, and some people may require tooth extractions as part of the process.
• Oral health. This includes how many teeth are to be extracted, implanted, and their general condition. It also includes the state of your bones. If your jawbone is not thick or strong enough to support a complex restoration, then you may need bone grafts, which are worth it-but they do add to recovery time. 
• Overall health. People who have conditions that slow their healing will need to be patient with an extended recovery process. 
• Recovery support. People who don’t get enough rest, are careful about their food in the first few weeks after the procedure, or who smoke, may experience a slower and less comfortable recovery. Smoking in particular can lead to implant failure. 

Initial healing may take 7-10 days, but implants should have fully integrated into the bone within 3-6 months. Bone grafts may extend recovery by a few weeks, but a simple implant procedure can heal in as little as two weeks. 

Implants: A few weeks of recovery for a lifetime of benefits.

This may sound like a lot, but dental implants are worth it. After a short recovery process, you’ll have new teeth that will last a lifetime, with all the health and social benefits that you may have missed before. 

Schedule a consultation at Scottsdale, Arizona’s KORsmiles Dental and we’ll determine which implant option is best for your smile.