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FAQ on Implants - Placement of Implants

Is the placement of an implant painful?

How long does the actual placement take?

Some of my teeth need to be removed and I am keen to take the implant option because I love chewing my food. Can the implants be placed immediately into the extraction sockets?

Is the placement of an implant painful?

More good news! No! If an extraction were to be rated as a 10, the placement of an implant would be a 2 or 3 if it worked and if it failed - the same 2-3. Most of my patients never need to take the analgesics I prescribe preventively, stating proudly that they experience ‘zilch’ discomfort. When bone is transplanted, swelling and discomfort can be similar to an extraction, pending the donor site and recipient site locations.

Bone is often taken from the lower wisdom tooth area, the amount being about the size of a jellybean. If that bone is then placed in the site of a front tooth, the lip can swell slightly or discolour like a bruise, but just for a few days.

I like to use Marcaine rather than Lignocaine as a local anaesthetic because the area can be made numb for 6-8 hours, sparing the patient any initial symptoms. If the implants are placed whilst the patient is asleep in hospital, I also routinely use Marcaine to spare them any challenges for many hours post-operatively. Interestingly, it seems that the use of Marcaine at the beginning of a procedure on a sleeping patient aids their recovery. A more peaceful anaesthetic because of the numbness.

How long does the actual placement take?

We allocate a morning or afternoon for the procedure, both for "in the dental chair" or at hospital. The sterile surgical set up time is about 1 hour and the repackaging and autoclave clean-up time about 1.5 hours. The actual installation of the implant itself is about 30 minutes per fixture (implant base). Less of a big deal than an extraction, at least for the patient.

Some of my teeth need to be removed and I am keen to take the implant option because I love chewing my food. Can the implants be placed immediately into the extraction sockets?

Yes, pending the shape and quality of the bone and the absence of any infection in the bone. The chance of success for immediate placement is lowered slightly but the advantage is that the bone is immediately given a purpose, so, the bone levels can often, but not always, be preserved. The outer bone around the neck of the tooth is only 0.5 to 1 mm wide and it supports the gum. It can disappear within days of an extraction, but remain if the implant is placed immediately. By condensing the multiple stages into one appointment, the emotional load is lessened. Quite the option for a slightly timid person with sound gums and without an abscess at the root tip. Delayed placement after an extraction requires waiting 8 weeks for the bone to heal, so immediate placement can also shorten the time span between commencement and the final smile.

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