What is the Typical Dental Implant Healing Time?

Are you considering getting a dental implant? Implants are the ideal tooth replacement option. They look and function as closely as possible to your natural teeth and can last for a lifetime.

When it comes time to schedule your implant procedure, you may be wondering how long of a recovery period you need to plan for. How much rest time you’ll need and possibly time off work will depend on your individual situation. No two patients have exactly the same experience, but here’s a general idea of what you can expect in terms of recovery from dental implant surgery.

The first step in a dental implant procedure is placing the implant root. An implant root consists of a titanium post with threads or ridges like a screw. This part is surgically placed in the jaw bone where the root of your natural tooth used to be. The procedure entails opening the gums, placing the implant root, and closing the gums back up over the top. Then the initial healing begins.

The implant root placement procedure is performed under local anesthesia or sedation, whichever the patient and the surgeon agree upon. The type of anesthesia you choose can have an affect on your recovery time. If your implant is placed under local anesthesia, you may be able to return to your daily activities later the same day. However, when sedation is involved you should plan on resting at home for the remainder of the day.

Once the anesthesia wears off, you may experience some moderate pain in the area. This pain is usually quite manageable with over the counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. You may also have some swelling of the jaw, cheek, and lips following your implant procedure. Apply cold compresses to the swollen area with a cloth between the compress and your skin to reduce swelling.

Eat soft foods for the first few days following the procedure. In an average of 7-10 days you should be able to resume your normal diet, but only you will know when the time is right. Each patient is different.  Some patients may be able to resume their normal diet the day after the procedure.

Anywhere from a few weeks to a few months after the implant root is placed, the abutment can be attached. It takes a while for osseointegration (where the implant root fuses with the bone) to take place and become solidified. Once the implant is solidly bonded, the abutment (the piece that the crown will connect to) can be attached to the implant root. This requires another minor surgery to open the gums in order to access the root. The gum tissue is then replaced around the abutment and allowed to heal.

It usually takes about 2 weeks for the gum tissue to heal after the abutment is attached. Once the gums are sufficiently healed, the crown can be placed, which is the final step. The entire dental implant process can take anywhere from 5 to 8 months on average.

Healing time following each step of a dental implant procedure can be minimized with an experienced dentist and advanced equipment. At Holzinger Periodontics and Dental Implants we have the expertise to prepare and place your dental implant successfully with minimally invasive methods so that you can recover faster and get back to your daily life.

Call 860-347-8457(860) to schedule a consultation at our Middletown office or 860-224-0433 for our New Britain office. You can also request an appointment at whichever office is more convenient for you. We look forward to helping you restore your smile.