Dental implants are the best solution for replacing missing teeth and are typically more comfortable than other options like dentures. It can also maximize your smile’s full potential by making it look symmetrical again!
If you’re considering dental implants, it’s natural to wonder if they are painful. It may seem like the process would be agonizing and unbearable due to all of the drilling that has to happen. However, this is not true at all – many people find it easier than regular dentures or other options for replacing teeth.
How Painful Is a Dental Implant?
The dental implantation procedure is not painful as it’s performed with either general or local anesthesia to numb the mouth. Some people may experience mild pain after an extraction, but this can be lessened through a proper implant fitting and avoiding infections. For most patients who undergo surgery, recovery isn’t nearly as bad as expected.
How Long Does a Dental Implant Procedure Take?
A dental implant takes approximately one hour per implant, but the entire process tends to be spread out over six months or sometimes more. The time necessary to place the tooth implants varies based on how your dentist chooses their technique and where they are putting it in relation to other teeth. Generally, though, you can expect about an hour for each procedure.
Learn more about Dental Implants: A Guide to Dental Implants: Benefits of Getting One, Advantages and Disadvantages
What Are the Stages of A Dental Implant?
The dental implant process is a long and complex one, with each stage of the procedure carefully planned out. The first phase involves gathering information about your teeth’s history before assessing whether or not to get implants for them. If you decide on getting surgery, then two more phases follow: preparing the site where you will have it placed through the extraction (or bone grafting) and putting it once everything has healed properly. Once all healing has been completed, crowns can finally take their place in these fixtures!
Learn More: Different Types Of Dental Implants: A Detailed Guide
How Long Does the Pain Last After a Dental Implant?
It’s common to experience some pain after your dental implant surgery. Your dentist will give you a ballpark estimate on how long it’ll take for the majority of discomfort post-op. Still, everyone heals differently and has different levels of tolerance for pain that makes this problematic.
For the next few days after each stage of your surgery is completed, there will be some degree of pain that can last up to ten days, depending on how complicated the procedure was for you. You’ll also have swelling and inflammation as these side effects are experienced post-surgery. Still, they should subside once a week passes from when it’s finished. Hence, don’t panic if they linger longer than anticipated following each stage in the healing process.
What Is the Downside of Dental Implants?
Dental implants are generally considered safe, but they can lead to infection or nerve damage complications. One such risk includes infection caused by poor hygiene or smoking, which increases the chances of an infection occurring during surgery.
Time: This procedure’s lengthiness should be kept in mind if an immediate solution is desired. There’s no time frame set on when treatment will begin after undergoing surgery or getting impressions made. Suppose you have less time on hand or want more instant gratification from any procedure. In that case, this isn’t recommended because there are so many steps involved in the placement.
Infection: Dental implants are a great way to replace missing teeth, but there is always some risk of complications when anything new enters your body. Gums may get infected after your dental implant is inserted. In the most extreme cases, it could lead to periodontal disease, which causes bone loss.
Additional Procedures: Dental implants are not a one-step process and are very complex procedures. If the jawbone is too weak or unable to support an implant, then your dentist will need to perform a bone graft. A bone graft replaces any damaged or weakened bones with new material that the body may reject in some cases because it’s a foreign object. The risks can increase the wait time for dental implants as well as cost.
Cost: If you’re considering dental implants, it’s important to remember that you’ll still need to pay a portion of the total cost, even with insurance coverage. The specifics depend on your particular plan but in general, expect these procedures and fees will be higher than what average dentistry might entail.
Learn more: Why Are Dental Implants So Expensive? What You Should Know
Are You Awake During Dental Implant Surgery?
If you’re considering an implant, there are a few things to note before the procedure. First, as with any surgical process, anesthesia or sedation might be used during your surgery for comfort and relaxation purposes. Some people choose to stay awake during their procedure to have greater control over the process and stay up-to-date on what is happening in case of complications postoperatively. However, others may prefer oral or IV sedation because they believe it will help them feel more comfortable under anesthesia.
How Long Does It Take to Recover from Dental Implants?
Recovery times vary depending upon an individual’s case and how they manage the process through careful eating habits during this crucial stage when tissue is still adjusting around implants.
After your surgery, you can expect any symptoms to subside after 5 to 7 days. However, this varies depending on the complexity of your procedure – some are expected to take up to 3 weeks before they feel better again.
Many factors can influence the amount of time it takes to recover from dental implant surgery. For example, some people can fully recover in only 3 to 4 months. For some, it may take 6 to 8 months, but this could increase depending on any pre-existing conditions or special procedures you have completed before getting your procedure done.
Aftercare is crucial to ensure you minimise discomfort and ease symptoms as early as possible. Should there be any signs of infection, do not hesitate to report this to your dentist immediately so it can be addressed as early as possible. They will inspect the oral cavity right away for signs of swelling or redness, which may indicate that a bacterial infection has occurred. Then, in order to address it quickly and effectively, they’ll prescribe antibiotics if necessary.
Final Thoughts
We know that dental implants are a big decision. You have to consider your new teeth’ price, pain level, and longevity before making this commitment. Is it worth the price and pain? The answer to this question depends on your perspective, but you may not realise that there’s a lot more than just implant costs to consider when making this decision. Our team at Byford Smiles is here to help you make an informed choice by looking at all aspects of the procedure. Hence, you’re able to weigh the pros and cons and see whether or not getting dental implants will be best for you in the long run. Contact us today for a free consultation with our professional dentists, who can answer all your questions and show you how we do things differently than other clinics out there.
