Is Dental Implant Surgery Painful?

Tooth loss can lead to oral complications like a bone loss at the area of the missing tooth and the surrounding teeth to shift, leading to the accumulation of bacteria under the gumline causing gum disease. Fortunately, there are different methods of replacing a missing tooth. Dental implant surgery is one of the most recommended and reliable methods of replacing a missing tooth. This option is recommended because it involves the placement of a metal post into your jawbone, and then a bridge or denture is placed to replace your lost tooth. However, due to the nature of the procedure, many patients are concerned about how safe it is and if there’s any pain experienced. We’ll help you answer these questions and learn more about dental implant surgery.

Why Is Dental Implant Surgery Done?

A dental implant serves as a replacement for the missing tooth’s roots. However, only some patients are good candidates for the procedure. These are some of the reasons that the dentist near you will use to determine if you’re a good candidate for the procedure:

• If you have healthy oral tissues.
• If you desire to improve your speech missing a tooth affects it.
• If you have a jawbone that is fully grown.
• Have one or more missing teeth.
• If you don’t smoke tobacco.
• If you’re ready for several months of healing.
• Don’t have health complications or conditions that can hinder the healing process.
• Have sufficient jawbone for the implant to be drilled into.
• If you cannot wear dentures.

How To Prepare for Dental Implant Surgery?

Once the dentist who installs dental implants near you has determined that you’re a good candidate for the procedure, they will schedule an appointment. Before the surgery, the dentist in Globe will perform a comprehensive oral exam to see the density of your jawbone and images of your teeth.

Next, the oral surgeon will review your medical history to determine which local anaesthesia will suit you to prevent any complications during the treatment.

Here are the steps that are followed during the dental implant surgery:

• Removal of a damaged tooth, if any- First, the dentist will administer local anaesthesia to the affected area. They then remove the damaged tooth before proceeding with the placement of the implant. If there’s a gap, the dentist will prepare your jawbone.
• Jawbone preparation- a bone graft might be needed if your jawbone is not dense enough. Your jawbone must be thick as chewing forces exert pressure on it. Therefore, a thick jawbone provides a solid base for the implant.
• Dental implant placement- the following procedure involves drilling a hole in your jawbone to create space for the titanium post that will be inserted. The post is inserted and secured. A cap is placed on top of the hole to give time to the titanium post to osseointegrate. This process may take months before the metallic post bonds well with your jawbone. Nevertheless, it is essential to the dental implant procedure as it ensures a healthy and stable implant.
• When the metallic post has bonded well with your jawbone, additional surgery may be done to place the abutment. The abutment provides an area where the crown will be attached. The abutment placement involves reopening your gums to expose the dental implant. The abutment is then attached to the implant, and the gum tissue is stitched back but not over the abutment.

How Painful Is Dental Implant Surgery?

The dental implant procedure involves the trauma of the jaw and gums. However, it would help if you did not experience pain during the treatment as local anesthesia is given. Once the numbness wears off, you will feel pain around the treated area.

The good news is that the dentist who installs dental implants in Vista provides painkillers to deal with the pain. The level of pain experienced depends on the number of dental implants placed. The pain usually resolves after ten days.

However, if the pain persists past ten days, you should notify the Copper Vista Dental Care dentist as soon as possible. It is essential to do so, as persistent pain may indicate infection at the implant site. Our dental professional will act accordingly to save the implant and prevent further infection.