Does dental implant surgery hurt?

The dental implant is a therapeutic solution that replaces an irretrievable tooth or restores the integrity of partially or totally edentulous dental arches. The dental implant is a widely used, safe and predictable technique, ensuring good functionality. The planning for a dental implant operation must be carried out as correctly as possible in order to be as simple, atraumatic and well tolerated by patients as possible.

 

Factors that influence the degree of pain during dental implant surgery

 

• The type and duration of dental implant surgery

• General status of the patient

• The tolerability threshold of each patient

 

1. Type and duration of dental implant surgery

Most dental implant procedures involve a simple and quick technique that is performed under local anesthesia, without any pain or discomfort. However, there are certain cases where additional procedures are needed, depending on the patient's situation:

 

• The abutment insertion operation

It can also be associated with other surgical interventions, thus increasing the time and duration of the operation.

 

• Bone addition

It is the technique of adding bone material in the form of small granules or bone blocks in the form of conformers that allow the safe insertion of bone implants when there is not enough natural bone. When this technique is used, the duration of a dental implant surgery increases implicitly, and postoperative recovery can be difficult.

 

• Sinus lift

It is a procedure to lift the sinus membrane to allow safe insertion of implants when there is not enough space up to it, risking perforation. Usually when using the sinus lift technique, it is necessary to add bone material in the form of granules to increase the bone height and to move the sinus membrane away from the tip of the implant. This intervention presents increased complexity and a longer duration, and the technique may present a more difficult recovery after a dental implant surgery, depending on external factors but also on the general status of each patient.

 

• Fast and Fixed

It is a complex surgical intervention that involves the extraction of irretrievable teeth, the regularization of the post-extraction alveolar ridge and the insertion of dental implants to create a temporary work immediately postoperatively. This technique requires effective analgesia, often requiring sedation of the patient to avoid painful phenomena.

 

2. General status of the patient

In some situations, the general condition of the patients requires the use of appropriate analgo-sedation techniques to control pain and enhance the surgical procedure. Patients who are anxious, or who are about to have a more complex dental implant surgery, may benefit from sedation along with local anesthesia for increased comfort and increased efficiency of the surgical procedure.

 

3. The degree of tolerability of each patient

Each patient perceives the painful sensation subjectively, therefore it must be discussed with him in advance to establish together which anesthesia technique is the most appropriate. The doctor is best able to advise the patient on the best attitude regarding anesthesia techniques, because he can estimate whether a local anesthesia is sufficient for the surgical act he will perform.

 

Postoperative recovery

 

This involves a series of physiological processes that can frequently occur after a dental implant surgery and prepare the body for its integration. In any of the situations presented, the patient is asked to contact the attending physician to assess the situation and to advise the patient on what to do.

These assume:

• discomfort or sensitivity in the surgical area;
• local edema or swelling that passes in a few days, cold compresses speeding up recovery;
• Bruises that heal in 5-7 days.

 

Usually, the patient receives the following advice:

• Hygiene and dietary regimen meaning not to consume dairy products after the implant, foods and drinks that are too hot or too cold, to avoid carbonated drinks, to avoid brushing your teeth in the surgical area, advice that applies to the first 24 hours postoperatively.
• Local swelling is normal and may persist for 3 or 4 days, during which time cold compresses should be applied to the swollen area .
• Local sensitivity is normal to appear, sometimes even felt post-anesthesia, but through effective treatment recommended by the attending physician, it is kept under control.
• Antibiotic treatment is usually recommended before and after dental implant surgery to prevent bacterial infection.