Dental Implant Healing Stages: What To Expect After Getting A Dental Implant

An individual’s healing time after treatment will determine how quickly they can move forward to the next stage. It’s vital to follow aftercare instructions and support your body during the healing process. This will help to minimise the risk of implant rejection or infection.

In this guide, we’re looking at what you can expect to experience throughout the dental implant procedure so you can be prepared for anything.

What is the healing timeline for dental implants?

The dental implant procedure takes place in stages, with healing periods between each stage. You’ll start with the dental implant, and this will take around 3-6 months to heal. Next, your dentist will place a healing abutment, and this will take a further 2-3 weeks to heal. And finally, your crown, bridge or denture is placed.

If you need additional treatments such as extractions or a bone graft, the healing time may be much longer. And some people will find that their body responds well to the treatment and they heal much faster.

This is why it makes sense to take a flexible approach to the treatment plan to ensure you are not disappointed.

How long after dental implants can I eat normally?

After your dental implant procedure, you will need to be careful around the implant site. The gum may be tender and you might have some discomfort in your jaw. In general, the discomfort experienced after a dental implant procedure should be no more uncomfortable than a routine extraction.

You’ll need to stick to softer foods in the weeks following your procedure while your gum heals. You might opt for food choices such as scrambled eggs, mashed potato, soup and yoghurt. While you can drink things like smoothies, protein shakes and meal replacement shakes, you should avoid drinking with a straw.

What are the dos and don’ts after getting a dental implant?

• Do – Support your body. You need to support your body in its healing journey in the time after your dental implant. This means eating a healthy diet with plenty of protein, vitamins and minerals. Stick to soft food and avoid chewing directly on the implant site.

• Don’t – Smoke. One of the main reasons dental implants will fail is often down to lifestyle habits such as smoking.

• Do – Drink plenty of fluids. Your body needs to be properly hydrated in order to heal. Drink water and avoid sugary drinks and alcohol. You should also take it easy and prioritise rest in the time following your surgery.

• Don’t – Skip brushing. You can carefully brush your teeth following implant surgery, and it’s important that you do so. This will help to avoid bacteria build up in your mouth.

How do you know if your dental implant is healing correctly?

If you are still in pain following your procedure, get in touch with your treatment coordinator to find out what to do next. Pain for a long time after treatment could be a sign that something is amiss.

You should also pay attention to the incision site and make sure this is healing. If it still feels tender and sore more than 2 weeks after your treatment, get in touch with your dentist.

Listen to your body and speak to your dentist if something doesn’t feel right. While a little bit of discomfort is to be expected, you shouldn’t be in a lot of pain. Remember that you can always call your dentist if you are uncomfortable with how your implants are healing.