Dental implants are a routine tooth replacement procedure in Australia and have tremendous benefits for those missing their natural teeth. Despite the many advantages, people often wonder “do dental implants hurt?”.
If you’re reluctant to get dental implants because you are fearful of dental implant pain, here’s what you need to know about dental implants and the surgical process.
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a prosthetic tooth root. The three parts of an implant include the implant post, the abutment, and the custom crown. Placing the implant requires a dental implant procedure where a titanium or metal alloy rod is placed directly into the jawbone. In the few months following surgery, the titanium rod fuses with the bone in a process called osseointegration. Then the abutment is placed, and a customised crown fills the gap.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants are an incredible advancement in dental technology and can offer countless benefits over dentures or bridges.
Tooth implants look and function like your natural teeth by replicating the strength of a tooth’s root with the artificial metal root. This artificial root also helps stimulate jawbone growth, which can be reabsorbed if a tooth gap is empty for a prolonged time.
Implants are secure and do not slip like dentures. If you need many or all your teeth replaced but want a more permanent and secure solution than dentures, you can opt for All-on-4 implants, which uses four metal rods to secure an arch of new teeth in place.
Do Dental Implants Hurt?
Many people hesitate to get implants because they’re concerned about dental implant pain. So do dental implants hurt? No, patients experience only minor discomfort when getting dental implants.
At No Gaps Dental, we offer sedation with nitrous oxide and local anaesthetic throughout the implant surgical procedure. Inhalation sedation ensures that you are conscious for the duration of the procedure, but in a deep state of relaxation, so you don’t feel the incision or drilling. While drilling into the jawbone can sound intimidating, remember that the anaesthetic numbs the surgical area, and there are no nerve endings in the jawbone. However, you may feel some pressure from the drill.
Following the implant procedure, it’s perfectly normal to experience mild discomfort, swelling, bruising, or bleeding at the surgical site. If you follow your dentist’s instructions for proper oral hygiene, diet, and rest after the surgery, your recovery time will be quicker. To manage swelling after a dental implant procedure, you can take over-the-counter anti-inflammatories and apply ice packs to your cheek periodically.
To ensure a speedy recovery and avoid dental implant pain, stick to soft foods after surgery like yoghurt, mashed potatoes, smoothies, or soup and avoid eating anything hot or spicy which can irritate the implant site.
Good oral hygiene is vital to a fast recovery and a successful implant. While you should not use toothpaste or mouthwash around the implant site for up to 48 hours after surgery, you can use salt water rinses two to three times a day to help prevent plaque buildup and avoid any infection post-op.
Dental implants are minimally invasive, and within ten days, the surgery side effects of subside.
When to Contact Your Dentist?
You will have a follow-up consultation after your surgery to check the osseointegration progress. However, if you experience excessive bleeding, severe discomfort, nausea, or fever, you may have an infection called peri-implantitis, affecting the implant success rate. Your dentist can prescribe antibiotics to eliminate bacteria and over-the-counter medication to manage discomfort.
How Long Does the Surgery Take?
While the lead up to dental implant surgery requires several appointments to get impressions, X-rays, and digital scans, the dental implant procedure takes only one to two hours per tooth.
Osseointegration, the fusing of the metal rod to the jaw, is a long process that takes three to six months after surgery to complete. Everyone’s body heals differently, so there is no exact date at which to guarantee osseointegration has occurred. You need to attend a follow-up appointment after a few months so your dentist can assess how things are healing and schedule your abutment placement.
What Are My Options for a Dental Implant Procedure?
There are two types of dental implants. Endosteal implants are the most common, which involves the metal rod being inserted into the jawbone to act as an artificial root. If you require an implant but are already suffering from bone resorption in your jaw, your dentist may advise you to get a subperiosteal implant instead. This implant is smaller and sits above the jawbone but under the gums’ skin, still providing stability to a prosthetic tooth.
Subperiosteal implants require surgery before the implant where the gum is cut open, and the dentist takes an impression of your jawbone. This is because the subperiosteal implant must be custom made to fit the jawbone since it sits on top. There is no dental implant pain associated with the procedure, merely some discomfort after surgery.
Start The Process Today
Don’t let the fear of dental implant pain stop you from rejuvenating your smile with a full set of teeth. Patients undergoing dental implant procedures experience minimal discomfort, and the surgery is quick.
At No Gaps Dental, we can assess whether you’re a suitable candidate for a dental implant procedure. Implants help maintain your jaw health and boost your confidence with natural teeth function and appearance. Call us today at (02) 8806 0227 to book your initial consultation.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.