What It Feels Like After You Get Dental Implants

Getting dental implants is a significant step in restoring your confidence and oral function after tooth loss. But what does it feel like to have permanent replacement teeth in your mouth, and what can you expect in the days and weeks following your dental implant procedure?

Here’s everything you need to know about what comes after your Toronto periodontist places your dental implants.

Immediately After the Procedure

Dental implant surgery is generally done under local anesthesia. During the surgery and immediately after, you won’t feel much more than a little pressure from the implant site. As the numbness wears off, you can expect to experience some discomfort, swelling, and in some cases, minor bleeding.

Depending on your surgery, your periodontist might prescribe antibiotics and a stronger pain reliever; otherwise, over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen are usually enough to manage mild to moderate discomfort. While some patients even feel like they are ready to jump right back into regular activities immediately after their dental implant surgery, it’s generally suggested to take at least the day to rest and recover.

The First Few Days

Swelling and soreness will typically peak in the first few days post-op. During this period, it’s crucial to follow your periodontist’s care instructions to the letter to avoid any complications. This will typically include twice daily rinsing with a saltwater solution, avoiding very hot foods and beverages (like hot soup and coffee or tea), and sticking to a soft diet. After 24 hours, you can resume brushing your teeth, but avoid the implant site, especially if a tissue graft was part of your implant procedure.

You’ll also be getting accustomed to your new teeth. Depending on whether you had teeth extracted immediately before the implant procedure or you’ve been missing teeth for a while, this could be a strange or slightly awkward sensation at first. It may feel like there’s something foreign in your mouth, not quite painful, but different. Some people describe a sense of fullness or pressure near the site, which usually fades as healing progresses.

Eating and drinking must be done carefully. Stick to the recommended foods like mashed potatoes, smoothies, scrambled eggs, or oatmeal, and avoid anything crunchy, sticky, or sharp that could irritate the surgical site. Strenuous exercise is also to be avoided for the first few days, as this can cause pressure or bleeding at the implant site.

The First Week

By your first week post-implant, you’ll be getting used to the sensation of your implants, and the worst of the pain and swelling will have passed. The implant site might still feel a little sensitive when touched or when chewing on that side, but it shouldn’t hurt. Many patients say that the implants begin to feel like a natural part of their mouth by this point, less noticeable with each passing day.

Depending on the type of implant surgery you underwent, you may be sticking to soft foods for a while longer (for example, if you had a same-day implant procedure versus extraction and implant in separate procedures). Otherwise, you’ll be ready to slowly introduce firmer foods like fish, pasta, and rice back into your diet. At this time, you can also resume all your regular activities, including workouts.

Within the first two weeks, plan to visit Toronto to see your periodontist again for a post–dental implant follow-up. During this brief appointment, they’ll assess your healing progress, check for any signs of infection or inflammation, and confirm that the implants are integrating properly with the jawbone.

After Two Weeks

After the two-week mark, you should be almost fully healed (except same-day implant patients). This means you can also go back to eating solid food, although you may want to refrain from crunching and intense chewing right at the implant site for a little while longer, and brushing normally.

The feeling of having something new in your mouth will gradually fade. Your implants should start to feel more and more like natural teeth, stable, comfortable, and fully functional. You might even forget they’re there.

Over the next several months, your dental implants will continue to heal and fuse with your jawbone. This step is crucial to ensuring your implants remain secure and long-lasting. You will likely have a second follow-up, but know that your periodontist is always available should you have questions or concerns about your healing or the implant itself.