Are Dental Implants Painful?
A common question many of our implant patients ask is ‘Are dental implants painful?’ And whilst it’s natural to have concerns about dental pain, we hope that this page can help mitigate any worries you have so that we can ensure a stress-free procedure.
First, dental implants are an advanced tooth replacement system that offers patients the chance to restore their smile in a way that benefits not only the look of their smile but its long-term oral health.
That said, the nature of a dental implant, which is implanted into your jawbone, for some, sounds scary and painful. But don’t let the procedure put you off – it’s pain-free, and just like a tooth extraction, some discomfort can be experienced afterwards.
How painful can it get?
We don’t judge patients who might be apprehensive about the implant procedure. A quick Google search will show you images of gums with screws, or drilled holes. But it’s not as scary as it looks.
The facts:
- The pain level for straightforward dental implant procedures is rated between 2 and 3 in the first 24-48 hours.
- Pain experienced is not from the hole drilled into the bone or the implant but from the soft tissue manipulation part of the process.
- Typically, implants that do not require the lifting of gum tissue are actually painless.
- The surgery itself is completed under local anaesthetic and the jaw has no nerve endings, which means any discomfort felt is from pressure.
- Implant surgery typically only takes an hour.
IV sedation
For extra anxious patients, we’re able to offer IV sedation as a conscious form of pain relief, which can help you relax.
No fuss procedure
Dive into the implant procedure on a deeper level and learn what each implant stage involves. More.
Possible other discomforts
When implants do not require the lifting of the gum tissue, they can be relatively painless. If we’re to lift the gum tissue, patients can expect a pain level of 3-4 for the first night.
Other additional uncomfortable factors like bone grafts can also increase the pain level. Following a bone graft, patients rate pain 5/6 out of 10 for the first three days, of which we will prescribe strong pain relievers.
Regardless of the extent of gum tissue or bone grafting, three days is usually the maximum you’ll feel uncomfortable. However, it’s important to note that it does vary from patient to patient as everyones pain threshold is different.
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Aftercare and healing
As with any surgical procedure, a period for recovery is vital, especially in the case of implants, which allows the tissues to heal and for your body to adjust to the implant.
The recovery length and process will depend on your specific case and number of implants, your overall health and the extent of the work completed. That said, most patients typically recover 10 days post-procedure.
It will also typically take implants 3-6 months to fully heal and integrate without any prior procedures.
During this time it is critical that you follow your dentist’s advice, remain smoke-free and maintain a high standard of oral hygiene in accordance with your recovery plan.
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Managing recovery at home
Any discomfort following surgery can be managed easily with over-the-counter medications like Ibuprofen and Paracetamol.
It’s important to know that slight discomfort during recovery is perfectly natural – whilst the experience is different for everyone the overall majority of our patients have reported the recovery process as relatively pain-free.
It is rare to face complications, but if in the event you experience severe pain, swelling and fever, you should not hesitate to seek medical attention and a follow-up with your dentist.
- Minor swelling should be expected within the first 2-3 days.
- The mouth should be rinsed with salt water 3/4 times daily to aid healing and fight bacteria.
- Hot food should be avoided in the first 48 hours.
- Liquid diets are highly recommended in the first 24-48 hours.
- Smoking is not encouraged at all – and certainly not within the first three days.
- Ice packs can be applied to the outer cheek to numb pain and reduce swelling.
- Get plenty of rest – no heavy lifting or strenuous exercise activities.
If you’re experiencing intense pain please contact your dentist ASAP. Here might be some reasons why:
- Incision line opening
- Improperly fitted implant
- Infection
- Fever
- Swelling that’s getting worse
- Excessive bleeding
- Nausea
- Bone loss
- Pain when pressing implant site
- Inflammation
- Horizontal movement
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- Wednesday: 09.00 – 17.30
- Thursday: 10.00 – 19.00
- Friday: 09.30 – 17.30
- Saturday: 09.00 – 13.00 (By appointment only)
- Sunday: Closed
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