Short answer
Most people find the first three days the hardest, with swelling peaking around day two or three and then easing. Soft food continues for several weeks while the implants integrate. A provisional bridge is usually in place from day one, so you are not without teeth during any of it.
What happens in the first 72 hours?
Swelling and bruising build for the first two to three days and then start to settle. Rest, cold compresses and staying ahead of discomfort with the medication you were given make the biggest difference. Sleeping with the head slightly raised helps limit swelling overnight.
Some oozing in the first day is expected. Bleeding that does not slow is not, and it is worth a call to the office.
Read more about post-operative instructions.
When can I eat normally again?
Soft food is the rule for the first several weeks, moving gradually toward firmer textures as comfort allows. The provisional bridge is there to let you eat and speak, not to test hard or chewy food. Normal eating returns with the final restoration.
The temptation to test the new teeth early is strong and worth resisting, because load on an implant before it has integrated is the main way an otherwise good result gets compromised.
How long until the final teeth go in?
The final restoration usually comes several months after surgery, once the implants have integrated with the bone. That period involves a small number of visits to check healing and take records for the final bridge, rather than continuous treatment.
The provisional is designed to carry you comfortably through the whole of that period.
What is not normal during recovery?
Call the office if bleeding does not slow, if swelling worsens after day four rather than improving, if you develop a fever, or if the provisional bridge loosens or moves. None of these are emergencies to handle alone, and all are easier to fix early.
Calling is always the right move when something feels wrong. The office would rather hear from you than have you wait it out.
When can I go back to work?
Many people with desk-based work return within a few days, once swelling has peaked and passed. Physically demanding work usually needs longer, because exertion raises blood pressure and can aggravate the surgical sites. Your surgeon will give guidance based on your case.