The answer is less than you may think. Pain is a common concern among people thinking of having dental implant treatment. But there is no need to worry. In fact, many patients are surprised to find that the discomfort they experience is not as much as they expected.
Here at Dental 32, we find that Patients are genuinely very often surprised how easy and painless the process is. The majority of patients experience no pain at all during the procedure and very little pain afterwards.
Having dental implants can be life- changing, giving people the confidence to speak, laugh, smile and eat comfortably again. Patients who have undergone the treatment say that the benefits more than compensate for any temporary discomfort.
Local anaesthetic
Dental implant treatment is usually carried out under local anaesthetic, similar to that given for tooth extraction.
The vast majority of patients experience very little discomfort and by the following day hardly know that they’ve had an implant placed. In actual fact, most patients are amazed at how little discomfort is felt throughout the entire procedure!
Sedation to relax nervous patients
Patients generally say that having dental implants is far less traumatic than root canal treatment or tooth extraction. But if you are a nervous patient, we can offer sedation to relax you during the treatment. Many patients who are treated under sedation cannot recall their experiences at all. They feel as if they have had peaceful sleep throughout, when in fact they have been completely awake and cooperative.
Pain relief following treatment
When you have had a local anaesthetic it may take several hours before the feeling comes back into your mouth. Some slight discomfort may be experienced as the anaesthetic wears off, and pain relief may be needed at this stage.
We will advise you about post- operative pain relief and provide any necessary medication. Any discomfort normally lasts only for a few days and can be relieved by over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.
We often advise patients to take the painkillers that they normally use just prior to the procedure. This ensures that the anti-inflammatory and pain relief benefits are in place once the anaesthetic wears off.
Recovery after implant surgery
The recovery after dental implant surgery depends on many factors. Each patient’s recovery process is unique. Some people heal faster than others. If there is any bruising, bleeding or swelling, this will only be temporary. It should completely disappear within about four to seven days of surgery. The amount of discomfort you experience will be proportional to the complexity of the implant surgery. As a general rule, pain is present for two to three days and gradually subsides from the third to fourth day onwards.
If you have any queries regarding dental implant treatment and would like to come for a free consultation to see if implants are right for you, just contact us at Dental 32. Our team will be delighted to help
