This is the question we are asked more than any other, usually by people who have been putting off treatment for years because of it. The short answer: the surgery itself should not hurt, and the recovery is generally easier than patients expect.
During the procedure
The site is fully numbed with local anaesthetic. You will feel pressure and vibration, because bone work involves both, but you should not feel pain. If you do, we stop and add more anaesthetic. If the idea of being awake for it is the problem rather than the pain, sedation is available.
The first few days
- Day one: numbness wears off over a few hours, then mild aching. Over-the-counter pain relief is usually enough
- Day two to three: any swelling peaks, then starts to settle. Cold packs help
- Day four onwards: most patients are back to normal eating on the other side
What is not normal
Pain that increases after day three rather than decreasing, a bad taste, or swelling that is spreading all warrant a phone call. Those are uncommon, and they are much easier to deal with early.
Smoking meaningfully increases the risk of an implant failing to integrate. Stopping for the healing period is the single most useful thing you can do for the outcome.