Here's What to Expect Before, During and After Implant Surgery

When you hear the word “surgery,” your first thought might be of a high-charged operating room with a surgeon operating intently as a nurse mops sweat from their brow. While there are high-stakes surgeries, most aren’t quite that dramatic.

Dental implant surgery falls into the latter category. It does qualify as a surgical procedure because we make incisions and tissue alterations for the implant. But it’s no more rigorous than a surgical tooth extraction.

Still, if you’re new to implant surgery, it’s natural to feel some apprehension about it. To calm any nervousness, here’s a rundown of what to expect before, during and after the procedure.

Pre-Planning. Implant surgery is usually a routine affair because of meticulous planning beforehand. Often, we map out the implant site using CT scanners or other high-level imaging, identifying obstacles like nerves, blood vessels and sinus cavities, verifying there’s enough bone present to support an implant. With this information we can create a surgical plan or guide for placement in the mouth to accurately situate the implant.

Site Prep. On the day of the surgery we’ll first administer local anesthesia to numb the entire work area to pain. We’ll start with a few small gum incisions to expose the bone. Then using the surgical plan or guide, we’ll create a small channel for the implant with a drilling sequence that successively enlarges it until we achieve the best fit for the implant.

Implant Placement. Once we’ve completed drilling the channel, we’ll remove the implant from its sterile packaging and install it in the channel. After we’ve made any necessary adjustments and verified proper placement with x-rays, we’ll suture the gum tissue back into place.

After the Surgery. You might experience mild to moderate discomfort afterward that’s usually manageable with over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. We can, if necessary, prescribe medication if you require something stronger. We may also prescribe an anti-bacterial mouth rinse for a short time to reduce the risk of infection.

After the implant has integrated with the bone which usually takes about 8-12 weeks, we’ll install your life-like crown or restoration. Your new smile and improved dental function will be well worth the process.

If you would like more information on the process for obtaining dental implants, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Implant Surgery.”