I don't know anything about it, but I wish you well. And let us know how it turns out for you.

I had two implants a few years ago. I hate, hate, hate having dental work done. The "pain" after the "surgery" is not bad enough to require pain medication. It's a fraction of what you would have from a tooth ache. I stayed away from hard foods for a couple of days.

Implants are expensive, and it takes several months to finish the process. But it is soooooo worth it! I hope I never lose another tooth, but if I do, I will absolutely, positively have an implant!

If you have any questions, just holler. Good Luck!

I had an implant last year and I had no pain afterward. Like Wanda says, it is a long drawn out process, but worth it at the end. Expensive, though.

I've heard that it is a long drawn out process. Why is that?

Hi ronm80,

I had two implants about three years ago, & my DH had two implants this past year. Neither of us experienced pain when the teeth were extracted or after the implants were implanted.

Implants are so much better than dentures - they look natural & don't need the upkeep that dentures do. Well worth it, I think.

Kathleen

I've had two implants, but both were on teeth that were removed several months prior. There was little pain with either implant. The oral surgeon who did my first implant explained to me that drilling into bone is similar to drilling into soft wood - there isn't much resistance.

As for why implants are a long process, this is what's required:

1. Evaluation and x-rays to see whether you have enough bone to do an implant. If you don't, then you have to have a bone graft before they can do the implant surgery.

2. Implant surgery. This takes about two hours. During this surgery, the gum is opened and holes are drilled into the bone to implant the the base of the implant into the gum.

3. Then, there's a waiting period of 2-6 months, during which the bone grows into and attaches to the base. Sometimes, the surgeon can make a prosthetic tooth to fill the gap in the interim.

4. During recovery, the gum sort of grows over the base, so the oral surgeon does a second, very simple, procedure to expose the base.

5. After that, you go to your dentist to have the false tooth made. Once it's made, they attach it to the base.

All told, my implant procedures both took more than six months.

*So* well worth it, though!

I've had 2. One was in the upper jaw, and one in the lower jaw. Both times the bone had to be built up and healed/fused before the implant could be put in. The first one was in my upper jaw, and it was bad. I remember him hammering it into place. I envisioned my brain bouncing off the top of my skull. I had thoughts of shaken baby syndrome, and the damage it can cause. I had an awful headache for 2-3 days with that one. I wonder if my brain got bruised or something?

Anyway, the second one was on the lower jaw, and was a piece of cake compared to the first one.

Sue...wishing you good luck!

My DH is almost to the implant stage and he has not been a "happy camper" eating and fussing with that prosthetic tooth. Soon will be done. Don't think he has had any discomfort (other than that toy tooth).

I had one last year. There is no pain to speak of, just a little discomfort. It took six months and cost me $4000. You have to be very careful to floss afterwards because of the way the implant is shaped.

My husband has sevceral implants, as well as "seed" treatments in his jaw. It took several treatments and cost a bundle ($10,000) but he is very happy. He didn't have much pain. He never needed pain pills, but he did take the antibiotics that were prescribed.