Hi Pamster,
I personally have never had a dental implant placed in my own mouth. However, as a surgical dental assistant, I have assisted on the placement of many.

There are several different types and brands of dental implants. Some dentists prefer one over another, but they are all very similar. In the US, the implants most frequently used are made of titanium. The size and shape of the implant depends on the patients anatomy and what tooth is being replaced. Some implants are screwed into the jawbone and others are tapped in with a dental mallot. There is absolutely no pain associated with the surgical placement of the implant if the area is adequately numb.

Post operative pain varies from slight to moderately uncomfortable depending on the extent of the surgery performed. Depending on the individual situation, the discomfort/pain can last a few hours to several days.

Generally, if the bone that the implant is being placed in is healthy and the surgery is performed well, there is minimal discomfort post operatively. With that being said, if the implant is replacing a tooth that was abcessed or previously root canaled, then the health of the bone will depend on how well the area was cleaned out when the tooth was removed.

If an implant in placed in bone that harbors any residual infectious bacteria from the previously infected tooth, there will most likely be post operative pain after the implant is placed and very frequently the implant becomes loose from that infection. Dental implants should never be placed in unhealthy bone as this could cause or contribute to a very serious infection of the blood called Septicemia.

People with certain health or dental conditions or who take certain medications may not be good candidates for dental implants. A thorough health history evaluation is imperative during a dental implant consult.

Typically, a dental implant is placed and allowed to integrate with the bone for 4-6 months. Could be as long as 9 months in some cases. Monthly radiographs are taken during this healing phase to evaluate the progress of the integration and to see if any infection is developing. When the integration looks solid on the radiograph, a simple surgical procedure is done to expose the end of the implant so it pokes through at the gumline. Some impressions are taken for the final restoration and a tiny healing cap is placed on the exposed part of the implant. Sometimes a temporary crown is placed at this time as well. Then about a month later the various parts of the implant restoration are tried in and sometimes more impressions are taken. About 2 weeks to a month later, the permanent restoration (the implant crown) is cemented onto the exposed part of the implant.

It is a long process from start to finish, typically 9 months to one year. Although it is invasive, it is relatively painless when done properly and if the healing is uneventful.

I hope this information was helpful to you.

Bryanna