Knowing the sequence removes most of the dread. This is a typical implant day, for a single implant under local anaesthetic and for a full arch under IV sedation. Clinics vary; this is the shape of it.
The night before
If you are having IV sedation, no food or drink for six to eight hours before, as instructed. Take regular medications as the clinic advised (blood pressure meds usually yes, blood thinners as agreed with your physician). Confirm your ride: you cannot drive or travel alone after sedation.
Morning
Check-in and consent. The plan is reviewed, consent signed, and for sedation cases the anaesthesiologist checks vitals and places an IV. Antibiotics. Many surgeons give a single pre-operative dose. Rinse. An antiseptic mouthwash before you sit down.
Surgery
Single implant, local anaesthetic: numbing takes ten minutes, placement 30 to 60. You will hear drilling and feel pressure, not pain. If a temporary crown is planned, add 30 to 45 minutes. Full arch, IV sedation: extractions, bone shaping, four to six implants and abutments take two to four hours per arch. You will be drowsy and mostly unaware. A temporary bridge is usually fitted the same day or within 72 hours after a scan or impression of the implant positions.
Immediately after
Gauze on the sites, bite pressure for 30 to 60 minutes. Numbness lasts two to four hours. For sedation cases, a recovery period of 30 to 60 minutes and then home with your companion. Expect some oozing of blood-tinged saliva for the first day; that is normal. Bright red bleeding that fills the gauze repeatedly is not, and the clinic will have told you how to reach them.
First night
- Pain relief as prescribed, taken before the numbness wears off.
- Ice on the face, 20 minutes on, 20 off, for the first 24 to 48 hours.
- Sleep with your head raised.
- No rinsing, spitting or straws for 24 hours.
- Cool, soft food: yoghurt, smoothies without seeds, soup once it is lukewarm.
- No smoking. Not that night, not the next week.
What is normal in the first week
Swelling that peaks around day 2 to 3, bruising on the cheek or jaw, stiffness opening the mouth, mild discomfort at the sites. What is not normal: pain that increases after day 3, fever, numbness that persists beyond a day, a bad taste or pus, or a temporary bridge that feels loose. Any of those, call the clinic the same day. Related: aftercare once you are home and planning the trip around surgery.
At Colombian implant centres a full-arch surgery day looks the same as in the US: anaesthesiologist for IV sedation, monitoring, a driver to take you back. Our concierge covers the last part. See the vetted clinics at colombiadentist.co, full-mouth cases at fullmouthrestoration.co, or start at the network hub, colombiamedical.co.
Frequently asked
Will I be awake during implant surgery?
For a single implant, usually yes under local anaesthetic, with oral sedation available if you are anxious. For full arches, IV sedation with an anaesthesiologist is standard; you are drowsy and unaware.
How long does All-on-4 surgery take?
Two to four hours per arch, including extractions and implant placement. The temporary bridge is fitted the same day or within about 72 hours.
What can I eat the day of surgery?
Cool, soft, non-seeded food once the numbness wears off: yoghurt, smoothies, lukewarm soup, mashed vegetables. Nothing hot, crunchy or through a straw for the first day.
All prices are typical 2026 ranges drawn from published US self-pay data and Colombian clinic price lists, not quotes. USD/COP moved from roughly 3,805 to 3,070 during 2026, so dollar figures for Colombia have risen versus older articles. Only a clinic that has reviewed your scan can give you a real number. This is educational content, not medical advice.
