Is Dental Implant Surgery Painful?

Over 170 million Americans have at least one missing tooth. Over 40 million Americans are completely edentulous. In today’s world of ultra-modern technology, implant dentistry is the very best way to replace missing teeth. Dental Implants are the best solution to restores form, function, and esthetics from a single tooth to full mouth.  So why do patients hesitate when implants are diagnosed? One of  the reasons is fear of pain. There are two main stages to having a completed implant procedure: Each case is unique to that particular patient in terms of the complexity, recovery, and discomfort level.

Surgical Stage: This Is The Only Stage Where Discomfort Can Occur

1. Tooth extraction if necessary
2. Bone grafting if necessary
3. Placement of the implant (titanium false root which is gently rotated into jaw bone)
4. Suture placement to close the small incision in the gum

Healthy gums are a prerequisite for successful dental implants. If you have a history or active signs of gum disease, our team will recommend periodontal care before implant placement to maximize your chances of long-term success.

Implant Surgery Steps

1. After extensive medical and dental records are taken previous to the day of surgery and after our Implantologist, Dr. Jin Wang, has carefully explained the procedure, you will arrive in our office at 209 NYC Dental for the implant placement.
2. Some patients may want a pill to alleviate anxiety before the procedure. If so, they must be accompanied by an adult to our office. Most patients do not need this option.
3. Now you are in the chair, your choice of music is coming from our Sonos speakers
4. Dr. Wang will offer you the option of conscious sedation, which is Nitrous Oxide also known as laughing gas. The nitrous further relaxes you, if needed.
5. A topical anesthetic is then applied with a cue tip at the spot where the local anesthetic is (the injection of carbocaine or lidocaine).
6. You are gently injected with local anesthetic, (most patients do not feel this procedure) and in a few moments you are totally numb.
7. Once numb, a small incision is made in your gum. The implant is then placed and the tissue may or may not have a suture or two.
8. During this entire procedure, you will feel absolutely nothing! No pain whatsoever.
9. We provide you with post-operative instructions and home you go!

 The Postoperative Recovery Period

1. This is the only time in the entire implant process that some people feel a bit of discomfort.
2. At 209, we believe “in staying ahead of the pain”, so your first dose of analgesic medication will be taken while you are still numb. This ensures that when the anesthesia (numbness) wears off there will be no rush of pain.
3. Minor discomfort will last 1-3 days. If pain persists after 5 days, we want to see you back in our office.

Postoperative Instructions

1. Follow our instructions and do not smoke.
2. Take prescription pain medication properly.
3. Ice the area 10 minutes on, ten minutes off for the next 24-36 hours.
4. After day one, rinse mouth with salt water or peridex 3x-4x per day.
5. No vigorous exercise for one week.
6. You can return to normal activities of daily living in one day.
7. Eat foods that are cold and very soft (liquids the first day are best).
8. Brush and floss gently after the first day.

The Restorative Stage

Placement of the abutment

The healing cap is unscrewed, the abutment (a post that is screwed into the implants and now juts above the gum) is the platform that the porcelain crown rests on (it connects the implant to the crown).

Fabrication of the crown

After the abutment is firmly in place, a 3-D wand goes over the area, no impressions are needed. A few days later the final porcelain implant crown is placed, restoring your smile to function and beauty. None of these procedures require an anesthetic or cause any discomfort. At 209 NYC Dental, with 3-D imaging, we are state of the art.

What to expect

Depending upon the extent of the implant procedure, there is little to moderate discomfort following the placement of an implant. Most patients tell us that it is less painful than extracting a tooth. In our Midtown NYC dentist office, we have dentists specializing in dental implant placement and restoration of implants with crowns, bridges and implant dentures.