With numbed nerves, you can expect not to feel any pain during your dental implant procedure. You may feel pressure at times, but it should not cause you discomfort. For patients who have anxiety with dental procedures, oral sedation is available.
You May Experience Pain & Other Symptoms For Up To 7 Days
After about 3-7 days, you will likely still feel some pain and tenderness around the implant site. However, it should start to get less painful. You can usually return to work or school within 1-3 days after your surgery.
Patients can be informed that, in general, implant placement surgical experience is less unpleasant compared to tooth extraction with less postsurgical pain and limitation of daily activities. However, some factors can increase the pain intensity and discomfort level on individual bases.
The procedure itself takes 1 to 2 hours and the healing time is 3 to 6 months. During this time the titanium alloy (the same material used in joint replacement) implant will heal around and merge with the surrounding bone tissue. No other load bearing medical implant has as rapid healing or recovery times.
Same-day implants can usually be done in a single procedure, ranging from 30 minutes to 3 hours, depending on the number of implanted teeth. However, it is important to note that you won't actually leave the office with your permanent teeth. But, you will leave with a full smile.
While waiting for implants, temporary crowns may be a good choice. It is usually made of acrylic-based plastic, and the dentist will cement it in place. The crown offers an aesthetically pleasing option. It will appear like a real tooth, though the patient should be cautious about eating hard foods.
Patients are commonly sedated during dental implant surgery to protect against pain during this invasive procedure. Most patients are put under conscious sedation while local anesthesia is applied to the area of the mouth that is being worked on.
The good news is that you don't need to be without your teeth while your dental implants heal, and there are options for temporary dental implant teeth. If you need implants to replace your molars, right at the back of your mouth, you might not need to have a temporary.
It usually takes at least 3-6 months, and can take longer in some cases. However, this process should not be rushed. As the implant heals and bonds with the bone, it creates a permanent bond. Your implant should not be restored before this process is complete, since this can lead to implant failure in the future.
Root canals are considered to be the most painful because they require removing the nerve tissue on a tooth's root. The removal of the nerve tissue is not only excruciatingly painful but also commonly leads to infection.
The risks and complications you are taking for dental implants include infection, damage to other teeth, delayed bone healing, nerve damage, prolonged bleeding, jaw fractures and more.
If your tooth has significant decay and you're fine with the higher cost and more involved process, you may find opting for an implant as better for the long term. But if you prefer keeping your own tooth and understand the risks, a root canal can be a more affordable and less invasive option.
Your pain may be accompanied by swelling, inflammation, bruising, and tenderness near the treatment site(s). For most patients, this pain will peak sometime between 48-72 hours after surgery, and will then begin to fade relatively quickly. Overall, the pain you'll experience is relatively minor.
After dental implant surgery, stick to any type of soft food that doesn't require a lot of chewing. For the first day after your treatment, you should only eat very soft or liquid foods. This helps prevent you from chewing on your mouth or biting your tongue due to the numbing agents used during your surgery.
It is common for patients to experience some pain after the dental implant procedure. Initially, the discomfort may last one to two days. However, some patients may continue to experience pain at the implant site for up to 10 days.
Certain pre-existing health conditions can cause slower healing and interfere with the dental implant fusing or integrating with the jaw bone. If you currently experience health conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or an autoimmune disease, this slower healing can cause the implant to fail.
In general, there are three steps involved in the dental implant procedures. First, the implant itself is placed into the jawbone. Next, the abutment is added to the implant, which is where the artificial tooth will be connected. Finally, the prosthetic tooth, or crown, is placed onto the abutment.
Full Mouth Implants
With modern dentistry, various patients may be a good candidate for implant-supported dentures or full mouth dental implants. The cost for this type of implant-supported dentures can vary from $7,000 to $90,000. The average cost for full mouth implants is about $34,000.
Delaying Tooth Extraction Complications
If a tooth is missing for as little as 12 months with no implant put in its place, a bone loss is likely to occur and the need for other procedures like sinus lift or bone graft wil arise . Teeth that are surrounding the gap are also likely to shift if the gap is not dealt with.
Immediate Implant Placement
Under the most ideal circumstances, a dental implant can be placed in the jawbone immediately after a tooth extraction, even during the same appointment. This could be an option for you if you are free of gum disease and have a healthy, dense jawbone.
As you heal from getting dental implants, your gums will gradually grow around the dental implants to provide support like they do for your natural teeth. However, your dentist will also monitor your gum growth during your healing and recovery process to make sure the gums do not grow over the implant completely.
Focus on Breathing During Oral Surgery
Deep, slow breathing can be helpful. Try inhaling deeply through your nose, then counting to five in your head. Exhale slowly through your mouth, counting to eight as you do so. Repeat this cycle a few times, or as often as needed to remain calm.
Many implant procedures can be completed in the dentist's chair and only patients with complications and/or complex surgeries would need to be admitted to a hospital. Very often, a single straightforward dental implant can be placed on the same day, and you are treated as an out-patient.
The Morning of Your Dental Implant Appointment
Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Avoid clothing with tight collars or buttons that can cause discomfort during the procedure. Brush your teeth as usual, but avoid using mouthwash or toothpaste with a strong flavor.