Terrified to have dental implants

[Tanya86st]

Hello lovely ladies,
came to the decision that can take no more with missing teeth especially after loosing one of the molars large filling that leaves me with 4 missing teeth and it’s visible. I booked an appointment for consultation but I’m absolutely terrified of the procedure. Obviously deep sedation is a thing but still afraid and thinking of the general.
can you please share your experience 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

I’m terribly phobic of the dentist but coped ok with having implants. Mine were my two front teeth so no option really! This is also probably the most invasive location.

For me, the extractions were worse than the implant procedures. I guess if you’ve already got missing teeth, this is not such an issue - or are the roots still in place?

I coped with it all by using noise cancelling headphones and taking one diazepam tablet each time. I had these at home for my back but dentist said he could have prescribed them.

I asked about having a general but it would have doubled the already eye-watering cost and I would have had to wait another 8 months at least for a hospital appointment.

It really wasn’t nearly as bad as I had feared it would be and the bruising afterwards wasn’t too bad either. The most painful but by far was paying the bill!

I’ve had two inplants under a local anesthetic. It was no worse than having a tooth extracted - both during the procedure and the discomfort afterwards.

If you want this done under sedation you’d need a find a dentist who would be willing to do this. If the one you consult doesn’t offer it, they may be able to recommend someone who does.

I don’t know about a GA, that has a risk so they are reluctant to do it . You also have to go into a private hospital so I’d imagine it will be very expensive.

Remember it’s a multi stage procedure that takes months. They have to assess you to see if you are suitable, they won’t do it if you smoke or have gum disease or your dental hygiene is poor or you have certain medical conditions.

Then they need to check that you have enough bone for the implant ( the screw thing that goes into your bone ) to go into and sometimes they have to supplement it. Then they wait months .

Then they put in the implant itself . A week later they take out the stiches. Then they wait months, that’s for your own bone to grow round it and make sure it’s secure.

Then you go back and they take impression and a week or so later they fit the crown ( the white bit that looks like a tooth ).

So you will be back and forward for months. It’s worth it in the end but it takes a long time and it’s not cheap - perhaps about £ 3,000 per tooth . Maybe it’s a bit less of you have several done at once, I don’t know,

You will be a lot more £ id guess if you want sedation. I don’t know how it works if you need more than one at a time or how many they can do at once, I guess it depends where they are in your mouth.

that’s my patient version of what happens, I’m sure it’s not correct from a dental point of view.

Good luck.

I forgot to say - I didn’t have a lot of Bruising or swelling afterwards.

BUT i went home , took to my bed with an ice pack and iced for about 12 hours. yes honestly that long.

I rested on bed / on sofa for that day and the whole of the next day ( I got it done on a Friday afternoon) . I did this more because I felt very shaken up , not so much for any pain.

If you have small kids it’s worth getting then looked after for at least one day as otherwise you won’t be able to rest.

I only needed the painkillers for 24 hours but I was told to take the ibuprofen and antibiotics for 5 days, which I did. Some dentists give steroids for swelling - mine doesn't and the ice worked fine.

Id advise following their after care instructions to the letter.

One that has root as the large filling fell out.
did you had a sedation during this time?

I was thinking of playing music but I suppose noise cancelling headphones is a better idea.

im not worried about after pain it’s more about actual drilling into the bone. Think I need a bone graft too😢

Did you had a deep sedation then?

I’ll be taking 2 days off work and my mum will be looking after kids. Im going private and definitely with sedation.
I’m looking at those adverts that say one day implants . I suppose it’s something different then.
I do need a bone graft though.
scary stuff anything to do with the teeth

I had an implant fitted last week. Just the one but the thought of what they would be doing grossed me out so I had sedation. I can’t remember a thing and the recovery has been absolutely fine.

The only sedation I had was the diazepam which took the edge off it all effectively for me.

I played music through my noise cancelling headphones.

The specialist who did mine is an old school friend who is a leading expert in implant surgery. He had previously worked as an army dentist specialising in implants etc after trauma. He advised me that not even to consider the ‘implant in a day’ routes. I had dentures for a total of 6 months (which was not much fun) but the implants took beautifully and now it’s like having amazingly strong, perfect front teeth!

The drilling into the bone is unpleasant but doesn’t take long. The bone graft aspect is nothing to worry about at all - they just press granules into the existing hole whilst you’re numb.

I’ve had my implant for about 12 years now. I had it done under sedation. I don’t remember much about the actual process, but I wanted to post and say how life changing it has been. I was ashamed to smile because of the gap. I’ve had no problems with it - I get it x-rayed once in a while and it’s always fine. Best of luck, it’s worth it!

That’s what I’m trying to figure what is one day implant mean?

I definitely want mine to last

So sedation takes all pain and feeling of the process?

I had implants. Two different times. I wouldn't be the bravest but obviously it wasn't that bad since l went back 2 years later to get more. I had local anaesthetic each time but more than for a regular filling as the dentist said he wants his clients to be completely comfortable. I had complete faith in him which was important as he was so thorough and professional. The only part l could complain about is it's long. Each session was long but l wasn't in pain just fed up. He did allow me a bathroom break each time which was important to me knowing l could go whenever l wanted. I never bruised but l think that's unusual as my sister went to the same dentist and was badly bruised.

Looking back the price was the scariest bit!!

The sedation means that you don’t remember any of it. They give you a local anaesthetic as well, so you are not in pain during it.

Everyone has to go private for implants, they are only available on the NHS in very limited circumstances.

As you still have a root, the dentist who does your implant will want to remove it herself. They do it carefully to preserve as much bone as possible.

The bone graft is no big deal , they just put some stuff in the hole and sew it back up. The drilling into the bone for the implant doesn’t feel any worse than a filling ( when it’s being done ).

The two bits of the process that are a big deal are the extraction of your tooth and putting in the implant. The other bits are fine.

Honestly if you’ve given birth twice then this will be ok, there’s no one part of it that’s as bad as one big contraction.

I had 4 front teeth implanted with a bone graft first, when the bridge I had was compromised.

The first appointment for the bone graft was with sedation, but I do metabolise things quickly, so can remember the procedure, but at no point was it painful and the dentist and nurses were lovely .

The bone was removed from my back jaw. .. as previous posters said, it’s no worse than having a filling really. The appointments are just long. Think about 3 hours for the first. I wasn’t in any pain throughout . I got sent away with steroids and did bruise quite badly the first time.

A few months later I returned to have the abutments placed, just with normal anaesthetic. Then a few more months later had the final teeth fitted.

The process is long and involves a few long appointments but is so worth it for the end result.

Ahahaha that made me laugh, thank you for that ❤️ Yh I had 2 deliveries one was terrible lasted 3 days and one 12 hours, both natural and I went through that . That’s how I’m trying to cheer myself up 🤣🤣🤣

Thought I’ll just post the update whilst waiting in Boots for my skript from my dentist to be collected.
I’m literally just placed 4 implants 30 min ago, only had local anaesthetic . It’s scary, as you not aware of what will happen on the procedure, but no pain at all. the only painful bit is the injection of the local anaesthetic.

Having my implants was far less traumatic than having my large filling done

I really thought it would be something more serious. 4 been fitted in under an hour. And maybe took 30 min for preps.
tbh no pain so far. Bit annoying that I can’t eat 😂🙈

How are you feeling now? Did you get any swelling ? I hope you were able to eat some soft Christmas food.

Hey! No pain, no swelling, I could return straight to work. Need to eat soft food though and couldn’t eat much for Christmas 😅
but seriously no pain at all. Didn’t even use painkillers. My Dentist is great and had very large life long experience.

Only bit concerned that 2 of the stitches came off. Not a biggie I suppose

I was scared too but talking openly with the dentist helped a lot. They walked me through everything and didn’t rush me. I found this Implant Dentistry in Eastlake Ohio—they were kind and really patient with all my questions. The process felt way less scary once I understood each step and knew I could speak up if I felt nervous.