For many people, dental implant surgery can offer a number of benefits including restoring function and appearance to your smile if you have one or more missing teeth. Here, our Pictou County dentists answer questions about pain or discomfort that may occur following dental implant surgery.
Does dental implant surgery hurt?
The short answer is, it shouldn't.
OK, what's the long answer?
The longer answer is that we begin the procedure by applying local anesthesia. There will be a needle involved, and during the procedure, you may feel pressure – but the nerves will be numbed and unable to transmit much if any pain response. In cases where needles or dental procedures cause anxiety, sedation options are available to make the procedure less stressful.
The Steps of Dental Implant Surgery
As explained above, the first step is administering a local anesthetic to numb the area where the implant is being surgically installed. Once we've established that the area is acceptably numb to pain, a space is created in your gums and jaw bone for the titanium post that holds the implant in place. Our Pictou County dentists use computerized 3D modelling to create and place the implant.
Lastly, the post is inserted and secured. A cap is placed on top to keep it safe while it heals for the next few months.
How long does recovery take? Will it hurt after the procedure?
Many of our patients tell us they are surprised by how unintrusive they find the procedure to be. You should be able to return to your regular life a few days to a week after the procedure. You still may experience some post-surgical discomfort for a little while afterwards. If so, we usually recommend over-the-counter pain medication, such as ibuprofen, to help make recovery comfortable.
Crowning your Dental Implant
It takes around four months for a new dental implant to fuse to the bone. Once this has happened, it will be time to return to our Pictou County dental practice to have your dental implant(s) crowned. The crown is what will give the implant a natural look, much like a real tooth.