The months between the two trips, month by month
Between the trips you live with temporary teeth, a healing jaw and a clinic in another country. This calendar shows what usually happens at each point and what you can do to keep things on track.
Medically reviewed by Dt. Hüseyin Yavuz Özbek, implant surgeon · Updated October 2026The first two weeks after trip one are about recovery: swelling settles, stitches dissolve or are removed, and you eat soft food. From weeks three to eight most people return to normal life on a careful diet. From month three, the clinic checks healing, often by photos or a local X-ray, and confirms the second trip. Throughout, keep the temporary bridge clean, avoid hard foods and tell the clinic about anything loose, painful or broken.
The trips themselves get all the attention, but most of an All-on-6 journey is spent at home. How you look after yourself and your temporary teeth in those months has a real effect on the second trip: whether it happens on time, and how smoothly the final teeth go in. Here is a practical calendar. Your own surgeon's instructions always come first.
Weeks one and two: recovery
You will usually fly home a few days after surgery, so much of the first fortnight is spent recovering in your own bed. Swelling often peaks around the second or third day and then settles. Bruising on the cheeks or neck can appear and fade over a week or so. Many people feel tired, partly from the surgery and partly from the travel.
- Food: soft, cool or lukewarm food that needs little chewing: soups, yoghurt, scrambled eggs, mashed potato, soft fish, porridge.
- Medicines: take any antibiotics and painkillers exactly as prescribed and finish the course.
- Sleep: extra pillows help swelling go down in the first nights.
- Cleaning: follow the rinsing routine you were given; be gentle around the stitches.
- Avoid: smoking, alcohol, hot drinks on the first day, and heavy exercise.
If you have not yet booked a UK dentist for check-ups, this is a good time to make the call, even if the first appointment is weeks away.
Weeks three to eight: back to normal life, carefully
Most people are back at work and their usual routine by now. The temporary teeth start to feel more familiar, and speech settles as your tongue gets used to the new shape. You may notice that the bridge feels bulkier than natural teeth; that is normal for temporaries.
Food can be widened gradually, but the rule is still caution. The implants are bonding with the bone, and heavy forces can disturb them. Cut food into small pieces, chew on both sides, and avoid things that are very hard (nuts, crusty bread, hard sweets), very sticky (toffee) or need tearing with the front teeth (whole apples, corn on the cob).
| Usually fine | Best avoided until the final teeth |
|---|---|
| Pasta, rice, soft vegetables | Nuts, seeds, hard crackers |
| Fish, minced or slow-cooked meat | Steak, chops, jerky |
| Soft bread without crust | Baguettes, crusty rolls |
| Bananas, berries, cooked fruit | Whole apples, raw carrots |
| Cheese, eggs, yoghurt | Toffee, chewy sweets, ice cubes |
Work, social life and confidence
A common worry is how the temporary teeth will look and sound at work or with friends. Temporaries are designed to look like teeth, and most people find that colleagues notice nothing more than a new smile. What takes adjustment is your own awareness: the bridge may feel thick behind the front teeth, certain sounds such as “s” and “th” can be slightly different for a week or two, and you may find yourself eating more slowly in company. Reading aloud at home for a few minutes a day helps speech settle faster.
If you speak or eat in public for your job, mention it to the surgeon before the first trip. The shape of the temporary bridge can sometimes be adjusted to help, and it is worth knowing the likely recovery time before you choose your return-to-work date.
Exercise, travel and everyday life
Gentle walking is usually fine within days. Most surgeons advise avoiding strenuous exercise, swimming and heavy lifting for at least the first week or so, because raised blood pressure can restart bleeding and pools carry an infection risk while the wounds are fresh. Contact sports are best avoided until the final teeth are in, and a mouthguard may be recommended afterwards. If you plan another holiday during the healing months, take the clinic's contact details, a spare supply of any cleaning aids and a note of what to do if the bridge is damaged.
The daily cleaning routine
A fixed bridge on implants traps food differently from natural teeth. The gum underneath needs cleaning every day, because inflammation around implants (mucositis, and later peri-implantitis) is one of the main threats to long-term success. The British Society of Periodontology stresses that implants need the same care as natural teeth, or more.
- Brush the bridge twice a day with a soft brush, angled towards the gum.
- Clean under the bridge with what your clinic recommends: interdental brushes, super floss or a water flosser.
- Rinse after meals to clear food from under the bridge.
- Look in a mirror once a week: red, swollen or bleeding gum around an implant is worth a photo to the clinic.
Month three onwards: checking healing
From about the third month, the clinic will want to know how you are getting on before confirming the second trip. Depending on the clinic and your case, this may mean sending photos, describing how the bridge feels, or getting an X-ray from a UK dentist. If the clinic asks for an X-ray, a periapical or panoramic image taken locally can be emailed. Some UK practices will do this as a one-off private appointment even if you are not a regular patient.
Use this period to confirm the practical details of the second trip: dates, hotel nights, how long you need off work and whether anyone is travelling with you. Our article on booking flights for both trips explains when to book.
The month before trip two
- Check your passport still has at least 150 days of validity from the date you will arrive.
- Make sure your travel insurer knows about the second stage of treatment.
- Think about what you want from the final teeth: colour, shape, how visible the gum line is. Photos of your smile from before your teeth deteriorated can help.
- Write down anything about the temporary teeth you would like to be different in the final ones: a high bite, a lisp, food trapping.
- Read approving your final teeth so you know what to check.
Problems that need a call, not a wait
- Pain or swelling that returns after it had settled
- A bad taste, pus or persistent bleeding around an implant
- The bridge feels loose, rocks or clicks
- A crack or a piece breaking off the temporary teeth
- Numbness of the lip or chin that has not improved since surgery
Send the clinic clear photos and a description. Many issues can be handled with advice, a local dentist or a short appointment; some need treatment before the second trip. Our page on if something goes wrong explains the options, and aftercare back in the UK covers finding local help.
At Precious Dental you leave the first trip with copies of your scans and written aftercare advice, and you can message the clinic on WhatsApp throughout the healing period.
Living well in the meantime
Keep a simple diary of the healing months: when swelling settled, what you ate, anything that felt odd and any messages with the clinic. It takes a minute a day and gives the surgeon a clear picture when you return. The months between trips are a good time to build the habits that keep implants healthy for decades: stopping smoking if you still smoke, keeping diabetes well controlled, and getting into a cleaning routine you will keep for life. The final teeth will feel stronger and more natural than the temporaries. Getting there is mostly a matter of patience and gentle care.
Common questions
Can I eat normally with temporary All-on-6 teeth?
Not straight away. Soft food for the first weeks, then a careful diet avoiding very hard, sticky or chewy foods until the final teeth are fitted. Ask your surgeon for the specific rules for your case.
How do I clean temporary teeth on implants?
Brush twice a day with a soft toothbrush, clean under the bridge with the tools the clinic recommends, and rinse after meals. Your clinic should show you before you fly home.
Should I see my UK dentist between trips?
It is helpful if your dentist is willing. A check and an X-ray before the second trip can help the clinic confirm healing. Some UK dentists prefer not to be involved; ask in advance.
Is it normal for the temporary teeth to feel bulky?
Yes. Temporary bridges are often thicker than final teeth, and your tongue and lips need time to adjust. Speech usually settles within a few weeks.
What if my temporary bridge breaks?
Contact the clinic straight away with a photo. A crack can sometimes be repaired locally; in other cases the clinic will advise you on what to do until the second trip.
Sources
- Oral Health Foundation: dental implants
- NHS: how to keep your teeth clean
- British Society of Periodontology: patient FAQs about dental implants
- General Dental Council: going abroad for dental treatment
Checked October 2026. Where we give our own view as a clinic, we say so.
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