Dental implants are often praised as the best form of tooth replacement. However, the treatment process does require surgery, so some patients are reluctant to move forward with it. Are you curious about what it feels like to get dental implants? Does the surgery hurt? What can you expect during the post-op period? This blog post explains the basics of what you should know.
What Does the Surgery Feel Like?
Dentists and oral surgeons use local anesthesia to numb patients during dental implant surgery. In many cases, they also administer sedation. Therefore, you should feel little to nothing during the surgical procedure. If you notice any sensations, they should be mild. For example, you might feel a bit of pressure.
If you are sedated during the surgery, you may not have any memory of it. Many patients with a degree of dental anxiety request sedation so they do not have to think about the sights, sounds, and sensations of their procedure.
What Is Recovery Like?
Once any anesthesia and sedation wear off, you can expect your mouth to be sore. Some swelling and minor bleeding may also occur. However, no major downtime is required. Most patients are able to go back to work within a day or two of their procedure. You can minimize discomfort by taking pain relievers, avoiding strenuous physical activity, eating a soft diet, and following other post-op instructions.
The soft tissue at your surgical sites should heal fairly quickly; it may feel normal within a couple of weeks. It could take several months for your jawbone to completely recover, but you should not experience significant discomfort throughout that time.
What If You Are in Pain?
If you notice any severe pain or other unusual symptoms while you are healing from dental implant surgery, that can indicate that you are experiencing a complication that requires professional treatment. For example, you might have an infection. Call your oral surgeon to let them know what is happening. They will take steps to get you out of pain and back on the road to recovery as soon as possible.
The majority of patients are pleasantly surprised by how easy the dental implant process is! Talk to a qualified oral surgeon if you have questions about what to expect throughout your tooth replacement journey.
Meet the Practice
Our oral surgery team operates under the leadership of Drs. Steve Koo and William Shepard, two board-certified oral surgeons who use a combination of experience, skill, and compassion to handle each case. To help patients enjoy comfortable treatment, we offer multiple forms of sedation. If you have questions about the dental implant procedure, we would be pleased to welcome you in for a consultation. Contact our Katy, TX, office at 832-353-1100.