The implant placement is a surgical procedure carried out under local anaesthesia. Sedation can also be arranged if you wish if you are anxious about any aspect of the treatment. Please let me know in advance of the surgery so that I can arrange sedation for you. I will access the implant placement sites by numbing the area fully and making a cut in the gum then use some small drills to create a hole for the implants. I then place the implants into the holes that will then exist. After I have placed the implants, your gum will be closed level to the gum either side using ‘healing abutments’. In some situations it is necessary to use a bone mineral material to replace deficient bone around the implant. This bone mineral substitute is covered with a collagen membrane. There should be no pain whatsoever during the implant surgery.
Implant placement.
I usually prescribe painkillers sometimes antibiotics for 1 week following the procedure to help minimise discomfort and the chance of infection. You can expect some discomfort for a day following surgery and this is minimized with the prescribed analgesics.
Although healing is usually uneventful, we strongly recommend that you do not book this stage immediately prior to going on holiday or just before a special occasion as discomfort, bruising and swelling which will last for several days is very common.
Removal of stitches after implant placement.
This is carried out 7-14 days after surgery and only takes a few minutes. In general there is no need for local anaesthetic during suture removal as it is a quick, simple and painless procedure. If you are unable to attend for this, the stitches will dissolve on their own but this takes around 4 weeks and they can be a nuisance during that time.
