It doesn’t take much of an imagination to dream up the worst when considering the incisions and drilling needed to place titanium dental implant posts in the jawbone in place of natural teeth once rooted there. You’ll certainly need anesthesia, but will you need general anesthesia to completely numb the pain and put you to sleep for a few hours or will local anesthesia be sufficient?
In most cases, the answer is: no, you won’t need general anesthesia. You can get a full set of dental implants, eight total, to support dentures and still not need to undergo general anesthesia. Let’s take a look at why.
Local anesthesia is more than sufficient: This form of anesthesia is typically administered topically or via a syringe. The localized pain relief of local anesthesia will ensure that you don’t feel anything at the implant site or sites. Your dentist can place all eight dental implants for implant-supported dentures before the local anesthesia wears off.
The process is fast: You can have a single implant placed in no time or have a full set of dental implants installed in the space of one appointment. Thanks to streamlined systems such as Teeth Today ™, it’s faster than ever to plot the exact location each implant needs to be placed in. So you can walk into your dentist’ office with no dental implants, and walk out of your appointment with eight implant posts supporting a full set of dentures.
Note on aftercare: while you can get dental implants placed fast and in their optimal positions, you’ll experience mild to moderate tenderness and swelling once the anesthesia wears off. Your dentist may suggest over-the-counter medication or write a prescription for stronger pain killers if needed, though they’re rarely needed. The pain and tenderness shouldn’t last longer than a few days.
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Learn more about your options for getting dental implants in Waco, TX. Click here to schedule a consultation with a local dentist and bring all of your questions and concerns with you.