Dental Implant Recovery: How Long Does the Pain Last?

13 Aug 2025

Dental implants are among the most popular tooth replacement treatments because of the quality they provide. A dental implant is implanted directly into the jaw so that it feels and appears like a normal tooth. It gives the bite the strength of a healthy tooth and will last for the rest of your life.

If you are considering or going to have a dental implant, you could anticipate that there will be some pain involved in the process –it is a surgical process after all. But how long do you have to bear the pain after having a dental implant? Here’s what to anticipate during your recovery from dental implant surgery.

How long does it take to recover after getting dental implants? Following the surgical placement of dental implants comes a very important phase – the recovery period. In this blog, we will discuss the factors that affect the recovery period following dental implants and offer insights into what people can anticipate during this crucial stage of the implant process.

Your First Few Days: What to Expect

Within the first 2 to 3 days after your procedure, you are most likely to have the greatest discomfort of this implant journey. Some patients would say it is pain, but others only describe it as a slight discomfort. This is when swelling and inflammation are the highest after your procedure, so it is natural that you would feel more uncomfortable during the first few days.

Most patients usually report that the discomfort they experience is easily manageable with pain relievers bought over the counter. If they are not effective, your dentist might prescribe a stronger pain killer for your pain management.

Avoid causing irritation to the area by consuming soft foods and staying away from hot liquids. You may apply ice in 20-minute on and 20-minute off cycles to minimise inflammation and swelling.

Pain Should Decrease by Days 4 to 7

By the time you arrive at the fourth day following your implant surgery, you should be past the worst of the discomfort and begin to feel better. You should be able to eat more foods and slowly decrease or stop your pain medication. Swelling should have decreased drastically, decreasing inflammation and irritation. By this time you are likely back to your normal daily routine like work and exercise.

One Week after the Treatment

Within a week or possibly 10 days after your dental implant surgery, you should be feeling fine. Your pain should be gone for the most part and you should be eating and drinking as normal. Some patients take up to 2 weeks to completely recover, depending on if you have any sort of medical condition that will make you take longer to heal from injury or surgery.

Is the Pain Still Remaining After More Than 2 Weeks? Reach Out to Your Dentist

It is not quite normal to continue to have significant pain for even after 2 weeks following the placement of your dental implant. It may indicate that you have a post-surgical infection or other problem preventing the area of your implant from healing properly. Dental implants consist of titanium, which is a material compatible with the body, but In rare cases, the implant may fail to integrate with the bone due to infection, poor healing, or bone quality.

Don’t neglect the pain as it may result in a failed implant. The infection may even turn life-threatening. Call your dentist and schedule an appointment for an examination.

Factors That May Cause More Pain

Other than normal pain occurring due to a complication-free procedure, there may also be other factors that cause additional pain and discomfort.

• Loose Healing Cap
  At times, the tiny screw within the top of the implant loosens during healing. Here, the dentist will have to remove the cap, sanitise it and then reposition it. In the meantime, it might irritate you.  
• Loose Implant
  If there isn’t sufficient bone mass in the jaw, the dental implant becomes loose. This is painful and often hurts. In most instances, the dentist will have to take the implant out and put in a new one.  
• Infection
  Any gum infection can be painful too. If it is discovered early enough, it may be curable.
• Rejection of the Implant In some cases, a dental implant is unable to integrate with the patient’s bone, resulting in a failed implant rejected by the body. If this is in your case, it can lead to loosening of the implant, thereby causing pain.  
• Bone Burn
  This complication is not much common, but it has occurred. If excessive heat is generated during drilling, it may cause thermal injury to the bone, potentially compromising healing. It will be quite painful and uncomfortable. The implant and the damaged bone will have to be removed by the dentist if this occurs.  
• Nerve Damage
• This one is also uncommon. If the implant is placed too close to a nerve, it may result in numbness, tingling, or pain. This is rare but requires immediate dental assessment.

Tips for Pain Management Post Dental Implant Surgery

There are many things you can do to assist with controlling and reducing the pain you might feel from dental implant surgery. If you call your dentist regarding the pain, they will likely recommend one or more of the following:

• Picking the Right Dentist
  While picking the cheapest dentist may sound like a good idea, it’s not a great plan. That generally indicates the quality of their work is equal to the price they are paying. This means that if you actually do call them in pain, they might not have as good of guidance as a more experienced specialist.  
• Adhere to the Aftercare Instructions
  No matter whatever your dentist instructs you to do following the procedure, make sure you follow them. It is important for your oral health and your entire body that you adhere to the steps provided in as much as possible.  
• Medication
  Your dentist may suggest you to take painkillers following the procedure to alleviate the pain. If the suggested dose is not easing the pain, call your dentist to discuss increasing the amount or using different medication.  
• Ice
  Within the first couple of days, particularly on the first day, you can apply ice to make the area of pain numb and reduce swelling. When you apply the ice to your cheek over the sensitive areas, it will help – either as ice packs or frozen vegetables wrapped in a cloth.  
• Salt Water
  Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water gently can ease the pain and combat infection-causing bacteria. It will burn as you rinse, but it will benefit overall during the recovery process.  
• Cold and Soft Foods
  Skip hard foods and candies during your recovery and opt for predominantly cold and soft foods. These include yogurt, smoothies and pureed foods.  
• Maintaining Oral Hygiene
  Use a dental floss and brush your teeth 2 to 3 times a day. Brushing and flossing is highly advisable and you should always adhere to them, but your dentist may advise not to brush the area of surgery.  
• Rest
  Ensure that you let your body and jaw have ample time to rest. Do not do any stressful work or lift anything heavy. Give your body enough time to consume as much energy as it requires so that it heals your mouth.

Conclusion

Although dental implants hurt, which isn’t a surprise, pain should not last for more than 10 days. If it does, see your dentist at once. Meanwhile, there are numerous methods of coping with the pain, such as over the counter painkillers, ice and rest. And it’s merely little pain for an entire lifetime of new and gorgeous teeth!

At South Kensington MD, we implement the latest technology to precisely place dental implants with a minimally invasive approach that can hasten your procedure and recovery, and make it more comfortable. Call us on 02071832362 or book an appointment today with our expert dentists for dental implants in South Kensington, London.