What to Expect After (and How to Prepare For) Dental Implant Surgery
Introduction
If you’re scheduled for dental implant surgery, you probably have questions. What’s the recovery like? What can you do to prepare? At Teuscher Legacy Dental, we believe the more you know, the smoother your dental implant experience will be. Here’s a straightforward guide to help you feel confident before and after your procedure.
How to Prepare for Dental Implant Surgery
Medications: You may be prescribed antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, or a mild steroid. Take these exactly as directed—usually beginning the morning of surgery
At Teuscher Legacy Dental, we typically prescribe:
Antibiotic: Amoxicillin (2 gm) 1 hr before surgery (or azithromycin if amoxicillin allergy)
Analgesic: Ibuprofen (800 mg) 1 hr before surgery
Glucocorticoid: Dexamethasone (4mg) 1 tablet morning of surgery, 1 tablet morning after surgery
Mouthrinse: We typically do not normally prescribe mouthrinses anymore. We used to do Chlorhexidene, but we believe its side effects outweigh its benefit.
Sedation: Oral conscious sedation if needed, most often using Triazolam 1 hour prior to surgery
Sedation & Driving: If sedation is planned, arrange a ride to and from the office. Don’t drive or operate machinery for 24 hours afterward.
Lifestyle Factors: Smoking and alcohol interfere with healing. Ideally, avoid both for at least several days before and after surgery.
Why not smoke after implant placement? Smoking restricts blood flow and oxygen, which can delay implant healing and increase the risk of implant failure.
What to Eat Beforehand: Have a light meal unless instructed otherwise. Stock your fridge with soft, cool foods (yogurt, smoothies, mashed potatoes, eggs, soup) for afterwards.
What to Wear: Comfortable clothes. Short sleeves if you’re receiving IV sedation. No need to dress up!
What to Expect After Implant Surgery
Bleeding/Oozing: Light bleeding is normal for 24–48 hours. Keep firm pressure for 20 minutes at a time will help blood to clot.
Teuscher Legacy Dental gives you gauze to take home. Be sure it is wet when you take it in and out to avoid pulling the “oral scab” off!
Swelling & Bruising: Usually, swelling and bruising are minimal. But if you have some, it should peaks around 48–72 hours afterward. You can use ice packs (15 minutes on, 15 minutes off) during the first 24-48 hours. Switch to warm compresses after 2–3 days.
Discomfort: Expect mild soreness, typically managed with ibuprofen or other prescribed pain relief. If you are just getting one or two implants placed, discomfort should be relatively mild.
The BEST pain relief tends to come from a combination of ibuprofen and tylenol. If it’s safe for you medically, then a great protocol is 600mg ibuprofen, then 4 hours later, 500mg tylenol. and rotate those medications every 4 hours. This is almost always better pain relief than a narcotic would provide.
Diet: Stick to soft foods for several days. Avoid hot, crunchy, spicy foods, or straws the first day to protect healing. (Straws may suction out the blood clot)
Activity: Rest for 24 hours. Avoid heavy exercise for 48 hours. Light walking is fine. If the area starts to throb, you should back off.
Oral Hygiene: Brush and floss normally, but avoid the surgical site for 24 hours. After the first day, you can gently rinse with warm saltwater if comfortable.
What to eat afterward: Soft, nutrient dense foods. Veggie smoothies are a good option! Avoid things that could get caught near the healing implant, like chips or popcorn. Hydration with electrolytes is ideal.
Healing Timeline
I have a much more detailed implant timeline in this post! But here is a shorter version:
First 2–3 Days: Swelling, bruising, and tenderness are most noticeable.
First Week: Stitches may be present; discomfort is usually minor by this point. Stitches either resorb on their own, or are taken out after one week
At Teuscher Legacy Dental, we typically see patients for a brief one-week post op visit to ensure healing is progressing well. We take out stitches at this time.
1–2 Weeks: Most patients feel back to normal.
3–6 Months: The implant integrates (osseointegration), which means the bone grabs on to it tightly enough to place the permanent crown. The timeline between 3-6 months depends on the density of the bone the implant is placed in.
At Teuscher Legacy Dental, we often are able to safely speed this timeline up to 8 weeks total bone healing due to our unique surgical technique. Sometimes a longer healing is necessary though.
Final Step: Once the implant has fused into the jawbone (integrated), we can attach the custom abutment and crown—your permanent new tooth.
When to Call Your Doctor
Contact your doctor if you notice:
Heavy bleeding that doesn’t stop with pressure
Severe pain not controlled by medication
Signs of infection (fever, chills, swelling, foul taste)
Numbness or tingling lasting more than 24 hours
Closing
Dental implants are a life-changing investment in your smile and health. Preparing well and knowing what to expect makes the process much easier. If you have any questions before or after surgery, call us at 630-762-0000. Even if you didn’t do the surgery with us. If you are in the Fox Valley or surrounding areas in Kane County, Illinois, Teuscher Legacy Dental can help you with dental implant questions.
👉 Want more detail on costs, timelines, and implant options? Explore our other guides on the Teuscher Dental Blog.
