Dental Implants recovery — week by week

What healing actually looks like — week by week — for dental implants.

Recovery timeline

1. Day of surgery
   Implant placed. Sutures, gauze pressure, soft food for 1–2 weeks.
2. Week 1
   Most discomfort manageable on OTC. Avoid the surgical site when chewing.
3. Months 1–3
   Osseointegration — the bone fuses to the implant. No load on the implant during this period.
4. Months 3–6
   Abutment and crown placement. Final chewing function restored.
5. Years 10+
   Implants last decades with hygiene; crowns may need replacement at 10–15 years.

Quick reference

Back to work

1–3 days.

What's normal vs. what to call about

Some swelling, bruising, asymmetry, numbness, and tightness are expected in the first weeks. Sudden severe pain, fever above 101°F, drainage, spreading redness, or one-sided swelling that worsens after improving warrant a same-day call to your surgeon.

See dental implants results across the recovery curve on the main Dental Implants page.