The short answer
Follow your dental team's written instructions first. Beyond that: confirm your medications with them (and never stop one on your own), arrange a ride home if you're having oral or IV sedation, stock soft foods and ice packs, fill prescriptions early, and plan a few quiet days. Swelling usually peaks around day two or three, then settles.
Your preparation checklist
Tick things off as you go. Your progress is saved in this browser.
One to two weeks before
The day before
On the day
Medical preparation
Your health history affects how surgery is planned and how you heal. Before surgery, your dental team will go over it again.
- Medications: tell them about everything, including vitamins and supplements. Some may need adjusting, and that decision belongs to your dental team and your prescriber.
- Blood thinners: don't stop or change them on your own. Your dentist and your prescribing doctor decide together whether any adjustment is needed.
- Chronic conditions: conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure should be well controlled. Your dentist may ask for a note from your doctor.
- Infections: any active infection, in the mouth or elsewhere, should be treated first.
If you smoke
Smoking reduces blood flow to healing tissue and is linked in research to higher implant failure rates. Dentists generally advise stopping well before surgery and staying smoke-free through healing. Ask what timeline they recommend for you.
Should I change any of my medications before surgery, and who decides that?
Getting your mouth ready
A healthy mouth heals better. Before surgery your dentist may recommend:
- Treating any gum disease first
- Finishing any extractions, with time to heal built into the plan
- A professional cleaning shortly beforehand
- Using a prescribed mouth rinse in the days before
In the weeks leading up to surgery, brush twice a day and clean between your teeth carefully.
Getting home: sedation and driving
You're awake and the area is numb. You may be able to drive, but many people prefer a lift.
Wears off quickly. Your dentist decides whether you've recovered enough to drive.
You need a responsible adult to take you home. Don't drive, operate machinery or make important decisions, and avoid alcohol, for at least 18 hours.
Eating and drinking rules depend on the type of anaesthesia. With local anaesthetic alone you can usually eat normally beforehand. With sedation or general anaesthesia you'll be told how long to fast. Follow the exact instructions you're given.
Who may give each level of sedation, and with what training and equipment, is set by the dental regulator. If you're in Ontario, how sedation and anaesthesia are regulated in Ontario explains the levels and what to ask.
The first few days
Your dental team will give you written aftercare instructions. Here's what's common:
- Swelling and soreness: some swelling, bruising and mild to moderate discomfort are normal. They usually peak around day two or three, then settle. Cold packs on the outside of the face help early on.
- Keeping it clean: gentle rinsing, often starting the day after surgery, with a prescribed rinse or salt water.
- Brushing: avoid brushing right at the site for the first few days, but keep brushing your other teeth.
- Food: soft, lukewarm food. Skip very hot, spicy, crunchy or acidic food for the first several days.
- Activity: take it easy. Avoid strenuous exercise, heavy lifting and bending over for the first few days, since a higher heart rate can increase bleeding and swelling.
Call your dental office if you have
- Bleeding that is heavy or getting worse
- Severe pain that pain medication isn't touching
- A fever that won't go away
- Swelling that keeps increasing after the first few days
What should the first few days feel like, and what would be a reason to call you?
Common questions
How long before surgery should I stop smoking?
Recommendations vary, but dentists generally advise stopping well before implant surgery and staying smoke-free through healing. Smoking restricts blood flow and research links it to higher implant failure rates. Ask your dentist what timeline they recommend.
Can I drive myself home after implant surgery?
After oral or IV sedation or general anaesthesia, no. You'll need a responsible adult to take you home. After nitrous oxide alone, your dentist decides whether you've recovered enough to drive. With local anaesthetic only, driving may be possible, though many people prefer a lift.
What foods should I have ready?
Soft foods that need little chewing: yogurt, smoothies, blended soups, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, applesauce. Avoid very hot, spicy, crunchy or acidic food for the first several days.
How much time off will I need?
It depends on how much surgery you're having and how you feel. Many people plan a few quieter days afterwards. Ask your dentist what to expect for your procedure.
References
- Chrcanovic BR, Albrektsson T, Wennerberg A. Smoking and dental implants: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Dent. 2015;43(5):487-498.
- Heitz-Mayfield LJA. Peri-implant diseases: diagnosis and risk indicators. J Clin Periodontol. 2008;35(8 Suppl):292-304.
- Buser D, Sennerby L, De Bruyn H. Modern implant dentistry based on osseointegration: 50 years of progress, current trends and open questions. Periodontol 2000. 2017;73(1):7-21.
- Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario. Standard of Practice: Use of Sedation and General Anesthesia in Dental Practice. https://www.rcdso.org
