Are Dental Implants Painful? What To Expect During Treatment

If you require bone grafting, this can extend the treatment time even more. At every stage in the treatment journey, patients often want to know: is this going to be painful? In this guide, we’re exploring each step of the treatment plan, and what each stage will feel like. We’ll also include your helpful tips for managing discomfort between treatments.

Are dental implants painful?

Dental implants shouldn’t be painful, but you might experience some discomfort at various stages in the treatment plan. The thing to remember about dental implant treatment is that it is a planned surgical procedure, which means it’s not going to have the same discomfort levels as an emergency procedure like an extraction.

First, you will be completely numb throughout the treatment. Dental sedation may also be possible for patients who are nervous about long procedures. It’s also important to remember that the implant is placed in the jaw bone, which has very few pain-sensing nerves. The discomfort experienced is often related to the gums above the implant.

What to expect during treatment

Your treatment coordinator will outline every stage in the treatment plan so that you can prepare. If your treatment includes bone grafting, this is an extra stage in the process that will likely extend the treatment time.

Placing the implant

The first stage in dental implant treatment is to place the implant in the bone. We do this by creating a small socket in the jawbone with a dental drill and then fixing the dental implant inside. You might feel unusual sensations and pressure, but you shouldn’t feel pain during the treatment.

Your gums might feel tender after treatment, but the gums are often very quick to heal. You’ll need to be careful brushing your teeth in the days after treatment to avoid disrupting the stitches.

Placing the abutment

We wait until the jaw bone has bonded with the implant before we move to the next stage in the treatment plan. For this, we have to expose to the top of the implant to attach the healing abutment.

This involves a small incision in your gum, but again, you will be completely numb and won’t feel a thing. Once we attach the abutment, your gum will need to heal once more. You won’t have to wait as long between appointments, as this stage is much faster.

Placing your crown

The final step is to place the crown on top of the implant to complete the restoration. This appointment doesn’t require any incicisons or healing time, but your new implant may feel quite strange in your mouth for a while. This is to be expected, as you will need to adjust to the crown occupying what was once an empty space.

How to manage discomfort during the treatment plan

The best way to manage discomfort would be with over the counter pain medication like ibuprofen or paracetamol. Ibuprofen is often better, as this is an anti-inflamatory, which will help to reduce any swelling. You should avoid painkillers like aspirin, as this can lead to more bleeding from the incision site.

A cold compress is also an excellent idea after treatment. This will help to reduce inflammation while also easing any discomfort in your jaw. Many patients say that keeping their mouth open for so long during treatment is the most uncomfortable aspect of dental implant treatment. 

Ready to start a conversation about dental implant treatment? Get in touch to book a consultation with our team.