How Painful Is Getting A Dental Implant?

Dental implants are the latest and greatest option for restoring your smile when you’re dealing with gaps from damaged or missing teeth. They’re super reliable and give you a natural-looking smile that can last a lifetime while keeping your jawbone in good shape. A typical dental implant setup includes a titanium post (kind of like an artificial tooth root), an abutment (a connector piece), and a prosthetic tooth (we call it a crown). If you’ve got multiple teeth missing, you can also use implants to support a bridge or a denture.

Now, let’s address a common concern: Are dental implants painful? Dental implant procedures involve surgery, and it’s only natural to wonder about the potential pain and discomfort associated with them. In this discussion, we’ll take a closer look at the possible discomfort experienced at each stage of the implant process, from the surgery itself to the recovery period. Our aim is to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the pain levels you might encounter when considering dental implants.

How painful are dental implants? What to expect from dental implant surgery?

In general, dental implants do not cause a significant amount of pain. However, the recovery from the surgery may involve pain and discomfort, just like any other surgery does. Luckily, there are over-the-counter painkillers and home remedies available to get relief. Besides, a periodontist or dentist advises to follow proper aftercare instructions after the implant surgery.

Here is a step-by-step procedure for getting dental implants in Chicago and a description of the pain or discomfort associated with each step:

1. Initial consultation– During the first meeting with a dentist, the patient’s teeth or mouth is thoroughly examined. A 3D dental X-ray of the mouth and jaw is taken to confirm enough jawbone density needed for securing a dental implant. There should be no pain in undergoing an oral examination.
2. Tooth extraction (optional)- It is done to remove a severely damaged tooth or teeth. There is no pain in extracting a tooth because of the use of a numbing agent. Pain after tooth extraction subsides soon and can be relieved with OTC painkillers.  
3. Bone grafting (optional)- Some patients need to undergo this step if they have insufficient healthy jawbone to successfully install a dental implant. As bone grafting is performed under local anesthesia, patients do not feel pain. However, they do experience some swelling, bruising, and discomfort that can resolve in some time and be managed with painkillers and antibiotics.
4. Installation of titanium post-During this step, patients won’t feel any discomfort because the mouth is numbed beforehand. However, the local anesthetic will wear off to offset the pain that lasts for a few days to a week. Swelling, bruising, or stiffness of the site of an implant may last longer than a week. Pain medications can be taken for 1-2 days after the installation of the implant.
5. Placing of abutment (optional)- In some cases, an abutment is placed over the titanium post after the fusion of the post with the jawbone. This procedure is performed under local anesthesia and involves making gum incisions to expose the implant post. Its healing can take over 2 weeks and pain associated with recovery is not much if proper aftercare is followed by the patient. Still, the patient can expect slight bruising and discomfort initially.
6. Installation of the crown- Once healing is over, a dental prosthesis is screwed or cemented over the abutment. Dentists take molds of the momouth for the creation of customized dental prostheses. This is the final step of getting a dental implant and should not be associated with pain or discomfort.

Are dental implants painful?

The answer to this is that the pain and discomfort associated with dental implants vary for every patient based on their unique tolerance level. The surgery itself doesn’t hurt but when the effect of anesthesia wears off, the patients can expect some degree of pain and discomfort. During the procedure or recovery, the pain at the implant site is significantly less than the pain caused by pulling a tooth. The pain or discomfort during the healing process is manageable with painkillers and following proper aftercare recommended by the dentist.

Ways To Reduce Pain And Discomfort After Implant Surgery

This is what patients can expect and must do when healing to ease pain and discomfort:

• Minor swelling for 2-3 days. Get relief from it by using cold compresses or ice packs.
• Starting from the next day of the surgery, rinse your mouth with salt water 3-4 times daily. This will help kill germs, promote healing, and have a soothing effect on the mouth.
• Avoid the use of straws for 24 hours after surgery.
• Do not smoke for at least 3 days.
• Avoid having hot, spicy, and crunchy foods for an initial 10 days to avoid irritating the implant site and causing infections.
• Maintain good oral hygiene. Gently brush near the implant site to avoid injury and infection.
• Take painkillers for any discomfort, as directed. Take prophylactic antibiotics, if prescribed.   
• Go for follow-up visits to the dentist, as directed. Seek immediate medical attention if pain or discomfort is persistent or worse.

Undergoing dental implant treatment can be transforming. You can even find your favorite celebrities with Dental Implants. If one is afraid of the pain associated with the treatment, they can contact EON Clinics dental implant experts in Chicago for more details on the procedure and learn more on ways that can help their dental implant journey comfortable.