If you’re considering dental implants, one of your first questions is probably, "How long is the healing process?"
The good news is, thanks to advances in technology and techniques like Permanent Teeth in 24 Hours, healing doesn’t have to mean months of waiting around without teeth.
This guide will tell you everything you can expect during healing—stage by stage—so you feel confident and ready to get your new smile.
Dental Implant Healing Stages:
Nuvia patients get their permanent teeth in 24 hours. This is a unique approach to dental implants as traditional methods can take up to 10+ months to give people their permanent teeth.
The outdated, traditional approach may require patients to have extractions first. Then after waiting months for the bone to heal, they get another surgery to place the dental implants, and then have to wait even longer before finally getting their permanent teeth.
Even “Teeth in a Day®” methods don’t actually give patients permanent teeth in a day. Patients just get a temporary set.
On the other hand, with Permanent Teeth in 24 Hours your failing teeth are removed and your dental implants are placed. 24 Hours later, you’ll return to get your permanent zirconia teeth—all in one streamlined process.
This approach changes the healing experience so let’s break down what it looks like, step-by-step.
Stage 1: The first 24 Hours
The first day after surgery is all about rest and taking care of yourself.
Here's what you may experience that first day of healing:
- Bleeding: Mild bleeding is normal for the first few hours. You’ll be given gauze and instructions to help manage it.
- Swelling: Swelling typically peaks at around 48 hours. Applying a cold pack (20 minutes on, 20 minutes off) can help.
- Diet: After your surgery (right before you get your new teeth), we recommend you stick to very soft foods—think yogurt, smoothies, scrambled eggs. Once you get your permanent teeth you will then be able to eat anything you can cut easily with a plastic fork.
- Oral Hygiene: We’ll show you exactly how to keep your mouth clean without disturbing the surgical areas. Usually, this means gentle rinsing and keeping the implant sites clean.
- Medication: Most patients are able to manage any discomfort with ibuprofen alone. Other options can be prescribed by your provider if needed.
- Activity: Take it easy. Rest with your head elevated and avoid strenuous activity for at least a few days.
Stage 2: Healing with a rigid splint
One of the biggest advantages of Permanent Teeth in 24 Hours is that your implants are protected right away. And not just with some plastic, flexible temporary teeth.
With temporary, acrylic teeth there is a chance that they can break, bend or move a little. This can significantly disrupt dental implant healing.
However, your new zirconia teeth stay strong and firm, keeping your dental implants solidly in place. This helps protect them while they heal so your body can focus on healing instead of fighting against movement.
Stage 3: 2 Weeks After Surgery
At your two-week visit, we’ll check how everything is healing. By this point:
- Most swelling should be gone.
- Any stitches placed (if necessary) will either dissolve or be removed.
- You’ll be feeling more confident eating soft foods.
Not all patients experience bruising, but those who do should see improvement by this appointment. There is a chance the bruising will still be fading at this point.
Stage 4: 4 Months After Surgery
At around the four-month mark, your dental implants will have integrated into your jawbone.
At this stage:
- You're generally cleared to eat anything you want—yes, even steak and crunchy vegetables!
- Most likely, you will have adjusted to your new teeth and they’re likely feeling just like healthy, natural teeth.
- As your gums heal, any swelling they experience will go down. For some patients, this can result in a small gap forming between the gum line and your new set of teeth. This small gap is fixed at your 4 months checkup.
Important:
In many traditional implant centers, patients are told to stick to a liquid-only diet for weeks (sometimes even months) while wearing fragile temporary dentures.
At Nuvia, that’s not the case.
Because you get permanent zirconia teeth from the start, you’re able to transition back to a normal diet without suffering through a liquid-only diet.
What about Bone Grafting?
While traditional methods of doing dental implants often require separate bone grafting surgeries and recovery periods, the All-on-4® dental implant method is designed to maximize on existing bone.
Even patients who have been told they don't have enough bone in the past may still qualify for dental implants without needing bone grafting thanks to advances in dental implantology.
If this is the case for you, it means your healing process won’t include recovering from an additional procedure.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants aren't just about improving your smile—they can change your whole life.
Strong, Stable Bite: No more worrying about slipping dentures.
Preserve Bone Structure: Dental implants stimulate your jawbone, helping prevent the bone loss that happens with missing teeth or loose dentures.
A Confident, New Smile: Whether you're laughing, talking, or eating out with friends, you can feel like yourself again without having to worry about covering up any old teeth.
Better Overall Health: Removing dental infections can positively impact your heart health, gut health, and more.
Investing in your oral health is truly investing in your overall health.
What to do if the Dental Implant Fail
Although dental implant failure is rare—especially with experienced surgical teams and advanced techniques—it’s important to know the signs and act quickly if needed.
Signs You Should Call Your Provider:
- Increased pain after the first few days instead of slight improvement
- Significant swelling that doesn’t decrease
- Feeling like your implants or teeth are loose
- Signs of infection (persistent bad taste, pus, unusual bleeding)
At Nuvia, we carefully monitor your healing and are always here if you have any concerns. Nuvia’s unique approach to dental implants, focus on safety and care contribute to the 99.13% dental implant success rate patients experience—higher than the 93.3% to 98% success rates reported in large studies of other providers.
Summary
So, how long does it take for dental implants to heal? While every patient is unique, most people feel back to normal within a couple of weeks and are enjoying a full, confident life well before the four-month mark.
At Nuvia, our Permanent Teeth in 24 Hours process helps eliminate the long, frustrating wait that often comes with traditional implant methods.
You won’t have to deal with fragile temporary teeth or endless appointments—the Nuvia process is streamlined so you can get back to living your life with a smile that feels natural and secure.
Healing may take time, but it doesn’t have to mean putting your life on hold.
See if you may be a candidate for permanent teeth in 24 hours with the 60-second quiz below.
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