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How long until I’m back to normal after implant surgery?

Permanently renewing your smile with dental implants is a great way to return your mouth to its full, natural working condition, but just like any other surgery, you’ll need to give your body a little time to recuperate. Recovery time will vary from patient to patient, but here’s a rough idea of what to expect when healing after implant surgery.

A little time off work

It’s a good idea to take a day, or two, off work. Even if you feel OK to work the day after your surgery, it’s best to not push yourself too hard.

Factors that affect recovery time

Your recovery time may vary based on the following:

  • Number of implants: Recovery from one implant will be easier than if you have more. If you’re having several implants installed in the same surgery, you’ll want to extend your healing timetable.
  • Complexity of implants: If your case requires special consideration due to surgical complexity, your oral surgeon will notify you in advance.
  • Oral health: Patients with healthy gums, bones and oral tissue will recover faster.
  • Diet and rest: Patients that eat healthy foods and allow themselves proper rest will heal more quickly than patients that don’t follow postop instructions.
  • General health: Your overall health plays an important role in how quickly your body recovers from any surgical procedure.
  • Alcohol and tobacco consumption: Using alcohol or tobacco immediately following oral surgery can impair your body’s ability to heal and fuse the implant to your jawbone.

Follow postop instructions

To give yourself the best chance of returning to 100% as fast as possible, follow your oral surgeon’s recovery instructions exactly as prescribed.

Most patients find that healing from dental implant surgery is easy and uneventful.