Recovery after a dental implant
What the days after the procedure look like, what is usual, what is not, and when to call.
How recovery goes
The first 24 hours
Keep the gauze we give you pressed on the area for as long as we tell you, usually half an hour. Hold an ice pack, wrapped in a towel, on your cheek: a few minutes on, a few minutes off.
Don't rinse hard, spit or smoke. Eat soft, lukewarm food on the other side. Take the painkiller the dentist recommended, at the times on the prescription.
The first 3 days
Swelling usually peaks on the second or third day, then goes down. Brush as normal but avoid the treated area; from the second day you can rinse gently with the recommended solution.
The first week
At the check-up after about a week we look at how the gum is healing and remove the stitches if needed. Until then, keep to soft food and avoid heavy exercise.
Until the crown
The implant integrates into the bone over the next three to six months. You won't feel anything during that time; you only come in for the scheduled check-ups, and then we fit the crown.
This is usual
- Cheek swelling that grows over the first two or three days, then goes down.
- Light bleeding that tints your saliva on the first day.
- Discomfort that eases with the recommended painkiller.
- A small bruise on the cheek that fades within a few days.
This is not usual
- Swelling that keeps growing after the third day.
- Pain that gets worse instead of better.
- A bad taste or pus around the area.
- A temperature above 38°C.
Call us if
- Bleeding that doesn't stop after 30 minutes of steady pressure with gauze.
- Swelling spreading towards the eye or the throat, or difficulty swallowing.
- Difficulty breathing: call 112.
Reviewed by Dr. Voinea ·
CMDR Romania · Galați University of Medicine and Pharmacy · General Dentistry