Book it for a Thursday.
You’ll thank us by Tuesday.
Implants are the most durable and natural-looking way to replace missing teeth — but this is oral surgery, and there is a recovery to plan around. Here is exactly what it looks like.
Two things to tell us, one thing to buy.
Tell us about diabetes. If your blood sugar has been difficult to control, recovery is harder. Let us know about any recent diabetic episode so we can time the surgery for the best possible outcome — this genuinely changes when we schedule you.
Tell us if the gap is visible. It affects how we plan the months in between.
Buy soft ice packs and put them in the freezer before the day. Ice plus ibuprofen is what keeps the swelling down, and you will not want to be shopping for either afterwards.
Before any of this, we examine you for cavities, infections and gum disease. All of those are treated first — it is critical to start the process in good oral health. The same X-rays confirm you have the bone density to support the implant, and if not, grafting comes first.
Why the end of the week
You can expect soreness and swelling for three to five days. Booking towards the end of the week means you take a couple of days off and the weekend absorbs the rest.
Have it done on a Thursday and you should feel normal by Tuesday.
If you go back sooner, keep it light — email and routine work rather than important meetings or client appointments.
What to expect, and what to do.
Swelling and bleeding
Your face will be swollen for the first couple of days — there is no point pretending otherwise. Ice packs and ibuprofen reduce it.
Some bleeding on the first day is normal; using gauze for the rest of that day should settle it.
Keeping it clean
We may give you a medicated rinse. If not, rinse with warm salt water through the day.
Keep brushing your other teeth, carefully — work around the site rather than over it, so you do not irritate the gum while it heals.
Working
You will be able to work, but you will not feel a hundred per cent and talking may be awkward.
Ask about light duties for a few days, or whether you can work from home. It is a reasonable thing to request and most employers understand it.
Soft, and neither hot nor cold.
The aim is to get the nutrition you need without irritating the gums. Nothing here is complicated — it is mostly a shopping list.
Yoghurt, soft cheese, ice cream, soup eaten at a warm rather than hot temperature, and fruit for smoothies.
Then reintroduce normal food gradually, avoiding anything hard, sharp or difficult to chew for several days. The trick is to keep eating what you like and just take out the difficult part — a hamburger without the bacon, an omelette instead of waffles.
Call us if
- Bleeding has not settled by the end of the first day
- Swelling is still increasing after day three rather than easing
- Pain gets worse rather than better after the first two or three days
- You develop a fever
- The site tastes or smells unpleasant
- Anything simply does not feel right — we would far rather you rang
Answered honestly.
Will it be obvious I had surgery?
Does diabetes rule me out?
When can I eat normally again?
Can I take ibuprofen?
How long until the tooth goes on?
Can I smoke during recovery?
Ask before, not after.
We will tell you what to expect from the surgery and from the recovery before you commit to a date — including how it fits around your work and your week.