How Long Does It Take Gums To Heal After Implants?

Planning for any type of oral or implant surgery means knowing what to expect when it comes to your recovery. Fortunately, your gums (gingival tissue) heal extremely quickly, and getting dental implants is considered a minimally-invasive procedure. So if you’re getting straightforward same-day implant treatment, you can expect a fairly short recovery time. Whereas more complex implant surgery may take up to a couple of weeks, eating soft foods and taking antibiotics.

The type of dental implants you’re getting and how they’re installed will affect what you can expect (and if pain medications are even necessary.)

HOW YOUR JAW BONE HEALS DIFFERENTLY THAN GUMS

Bone tissues can take 3-6 months to heal properly after oral surgery. In the case of dental implant placement, an integration process of at least three months is required. This integration process allows the bone to fuse directly onto the tooth implant design. Once fully integrated, your replacement teeth can last for life. And although the bone may take some time to heal properly, it is not an uncomfortable process. Medication for pain relief is usually only needed for the first few days or a week at most.

On the other hand, gum tissues (gingiva) heal relatively quickly. Most gingiva at an extraction site or implant site will heal within a couple of weeks. Since only a small opening is made in the gingiva for implant surgery, you can expect minor soreness for 2-3 days. It’s not uncommon for patients to tell our cosmetic dentist that it’s easier to have dental implants than to have a tooth extracted. Since the recovery process for a dental extraction is up to two weeks, you can usually expect less than that when you get a dental implant.

GUM HEALING PROCESS AFTER IMPLANT SURGICAL PROCEDURE

Fortunately, gum tissues heal fairly quickly. In most patients, gingiva will recover within 10-14 days after the oral surgery. Within a few days, over-the-counter medication may not even be needed. It’s important that you eat soft foods and follow your home care directions, as harsh foods or smoking (among other things) can significantly delay your healing time.

A dental implant procedure is more comfortable than most patients expect because of how quickly the gums heal. Healing time is more along the lines of a few days in regard to discomfort, but pain medication is rarely required for longer than that. Typically, over-the-counter medication is more than adequate. However, if you are experiencing pain a week after implant surgery, it is not normal, and you will need to see our Los Angeles dentist.

BONE GRAFTING AND GUM TISSUE HEALING PROCESS

Aside from traditional dental implant treatment, some implant patients require additional surgeries to ensure a successful implant process. Bone grafting is one example. Although the bone grafts themselves don’t require a lengthy healing process, they do need at least a few months to integrate with the bone around them. This may require soft food diets or chewing on natural teeth on the other side of your mouth while the area heals.

In most cases, your jaw bone needs at least three months to fuse with bone grafts. If the bone grafting takes place prior to the dental implant procedure, this will prolong the total recovery time. However, the gums over the surgical site will still heal quite quickly.

To ensure the wound closes faster after any large bone grafts or surgical procedure at risk of infection, we use biologics PRF to get faster soft tissue healing, which we explain in more detail below.

GUM TISSUE RECOVERY AFTER SINUS LIFTS

It usually takes longer to recover from a sinus lift surgery than it does having dental implants installed. This reconstructive surgery prepares the implant site prior to the actual dental implant procedure. It raises the sinus lining above the missing tooth, which usually drops down into that place after a tooth is extracted or falls out.

Sinus lifts prepare a healthy site for implant placement, as installing a dental implant is impossible unless the sinus lining is high enough. That being said, the treatment involves a much more complex process than traditional implant surgery. The recovery process takes up to three months or more for recovery before you can install dental implants. In the meantime, you’ll need to eat soft foods, take all medication as directed, possibly take prescribed antibiotics, and avoid strenuous activities.

RECOVERY PROCESS AFTER RIDGE AUGMENTATION

When there is not enough healthy jaw bone to support your dental implant, our Los Angeles dentists need to adjust the bone in that site. We call this procedure “alveolar ridge augmentation.” In most cases, bone grafting or reshaping requires oral surgery and pain medication during recovery. The typical patient will need pain medication for at least a few days following their procedure. Our Los Angeles implant dentist will let you know what to expect, as each case is unique.

RECOVERY TIME AFTER SOCKET PRESERVATION

Socket preservation is used when we need to remove a tooth and prepare for immediate implant installation. Medications, platelet-rich fibrin, plasma, or bone grafting materials are placed directly into the extraction site to preserve the socket. This step reduces bone loss, preventing the need for augmentation surgery. However, socket preservation does require about two weeks of healing time, so be sure not to eat any hard or crunchy foods.

CAN PINHOLE REJUVENATION BE USED AROUND AN IMPLANT SITE?

Gum tissues do not naturally regenerate around teeth or dental implants. Therefore, some periodontists will use graft alternatives like Pinhole rejuvenation which can offer a faster recovery process than traditional gum grafting. During Pinhole treatment, a small opening is created, and the gingiva is gently stretched over the tooth or dental implant affected. The recovery process is extremely short, with minimal discomfort.

OUR ADVANCED PLATELET-RICH FIBRIN SPEEDS HEALING

We use an innovative treatment called advanced platelet-rich fibrin (A-PRF), utilizing a small sample of the patient’s blood for hard and soft tissue grafting procedures. This treatment reduces healing times, decreases discomfort, and improves the overall patient experience. 

Dr. Amir-Alexandre Aalam is the first periodontist in the U.S. to be trained in and perform Advanced PRF treatments and has been using it for several years with the signature RejuvaGum Lift™ treatment.

A second-generation form of blood-derived growth factor technology, Advanced PRF involves the creation of a thin, durable layer of platelet-rich fibrin. The proteins in the fibrin encourage quicker healing and, when applied directly to the wound, cause the wound to close more quickly and reduce the chances of infection ensuring your gums heal quickly after an implant procedure.

SEE OUR LOS ANGELES IMPLANT EXPERTS

If you have gum recession or gum disease around a future implant site, our Los Angeles implant dentist will first address the underlying cause of your gum issues. Then, proactive care with our experts will ensure less invasive surgery, faster healing around your surgical site, and better outcome following your implant placement.

If you’re considering replacing your missing natural teeth with dental implants, make sure to read our guide to dental implants and contact our Los Angeles clinic today to find out if you qualify.

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