The first few days after your dental implant procedure, you will experience tenderness and some swelling. It is important to take 3-4 days immediately after the surgery to rest and take it easy, to encourage the healing process. Dentists often recommend scheduling the surgery mid-week, so that you can have a day or two of rest afterward along with the weekend. The actual recovery time lasts no more than 7-10 days without complications. You will need to stick to a soft food diet to give your dental implants time to settle and begin healing.