Implant aftercare
Most of the healing happens after you leave Antalya. Here is what your dentist will expect you to do, and when to call them.
Medically reviewed by Dt. Hüseyin Yavuz Özbek, implant surgeon · Updated October 2026After implant surgery, expect swelling and some discomfort for a few days. Eat soft food, do not smoke, keep the area clean as your dentist shows you, and take medicines as prescribed. The bone needs about three to six months to grow around the implants before the final teeth. Contact your dentist about severe pain, swelling that keeps growing, fever or a loose implant.
The first 48 hours
- Bleeding: a little oozing is normal. Bite gently on gauze as shown.
- Swelling: use a cold pack on the cheek, on and off, for the first day.
- Pain: take the painkillers your dentist prescribes, on time rather than waiting for pain.
- Rest: keep your head raised, avoid hot drinks, alcohol and exercise.
- No smoking. Not one.
The first two weeks
Eat soft, cool food. Clean the rest of your mouth normally and the surgical area exactly as your dentist shows you, which may mean a soft brush, a mouthwash or salt water rinses. If you have stitches, your dentist will tell you whether they dissolve or need removing.
Your dentist will usually see you once or twice during your stay to check healing. These short check appointments matter: go to all of them.
The healing months
An implant needs to fuse with the bone, a process called osseointegration. It usually takes three to six months, depending on the bone and the site. During this time you may have temporary teeth. Treat them gently: they are not as strong as the final teeth.
- Keep to the soft diet your dentist gives you.
- Clean around the implants every day.
- Do not smoke.
- Send photos to your dentist if anything changes.
When to contact your dentist
- Pain that gets worse after the third day instead of better.
- Swelling that keeps growing, or spreads to your eye or neck.
- A high temperature.
- Bleeding that does not stop with pressure.
- An implant or temporary tooth that feels loose.
If swelling affects breathing or swallowing, go to A&E or call 999 in the UK, 112 in Türkiye.
Aftercare at Precious Dental
Your dentist checks you before you fly home, and you can message us on +44 7575 589099 at any time with photos. You leave with your implant passport and copies of your scans, so a UK dentist can help if you need someone nearby.
For life
Implants do not get decay, but the gum and bone around them can get infected, a condition called peri-implantitis. It is the main reason implants fail years later. Brush twice a day, clean between and under the teeth, see a dentist or hygienist regularly, and do not smoke.
Common questions
How long does swelling last after implants?
Usually it peaks around the second or third day and settles within a week. Cold packs in the first day help.
When can I eat normally?
Soft food for the first days, and nothing very hard on new implants until your dentist says so. With temporary teeth on full-arch implants, that usually means soft food for the healing months.
Can I fly after implant surgery?
Most patients fly home a few days after surgery. Your dentist will check you before you go.
Why does smoking matter so much?
Smoking reduces blood flow to the gums and bone, which slows healing and raises the chance that an implant does not fuse with the bone.
Sources
Checked October 2026. Where we give our own view as a clinic, we say so.
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