Great experience at implant appointment

[QuiltyBefevered]

Hi there,

I have been browsing your forum for some time since I knew I was going to have a significant appointment today and found a lot of stories here a great help. I had a lovely 2 hour appointment today that went really well and thought it may help someone sometime.

I had a horrific experience at the dentist as a child - I had a perfectly healthy tooth extracted when there was no need and without any anesthetic. It was 1990 so not exactly the dark ages. It put me off the dentist for ages! Fast forward to 2012 when I fell through a shower door and the door handle did a lot of damage to my mouth and teeth. Thankfully I just needed 2 crowns. I ended up at a dentist that offered sedation - which in the UK was not common at all - so opted for it. They went ok and thought that would be the end of the dentist for me.

Last year I noticed one of the crowns, which was towards the front, was moving a little. I didn't think much of it until a week later I was eating and the crown came off. I was pretty horrified as it was so visible. We had moved to Scotland since my crowns so I had to find a new dentist. I googled and as coincidence would have it one of the best dentists in Stirlingshire is a 5 minute walk from me! I went and registered as a private patient (I've never understood how you get an NHS dentist to be honest) and had a check up. Sadly the crown could not be saved so I was given options and I went for the longest lasting which is an implant. Arranging 3 appointments for it to be done was very daunting. Then the receptionist said the dentist wanted me to be moved where he could do appointment 1 and 2 back to back. That TERRIFIED me. Although he is also a registered medical doctor he doesn't recommend sedation. He gave several very good reasons which I hadn't thought about. He assured me we would stop every time I wanted and if I changed my mind at any stage I'd only need to pay for equipment and time up to that point.

So today was the day. I was terrified. I should also mention I'm having some severe stomach issues as I've a 3cm stomach ulcer which leaves me SUPER anemic. That means I'm always tired. always cold, very fainty and healing is difficult. He knew all this, we spoke for 15 minutes beforehand and he said I could still walk away but I was sick of no tooth!

I was given 6 injections to numb the whole area, then I was given 5 pills which were antibiotics and asked to swish 2 tablespoons of some antiseptic which was hard with a numbing mouth. I was then asked to go wait outside while they prepped the room, put their gowns, gloves masks on and papered off the surfaces.

10 minutes later - with no feeling in my face from my eyes down - I was back in. He showed me all the tools as I had said I wanted to know as much as possible before he did it.

I'm not sure what happened next but the one bit I remember most of all was the immense pressure when the screw was going in. I thought my mouth was going to break. He did warn me which helped a LOT but even then I wasn't prepared. It was all very quiet, very steady, no rush whatsoever.

About 30 minutes later he took an x-ray and said it was all done. He didn't want to say anything during the procedure to jinx it but he said it went as perfectly as it could have. I have a little silver cap on it while it heals, its still numb 5 hours later, was given a lot of antibiotics, pretty strong painkillers (he wouldn't give me anything ibuprofen based due to my stomach issues), a mouthwash, a list of what I could and couldn't do, and new toothbrushes and toothpaste (everyone gets them regardless of procedure).

That was it. After reading horror stories online I wanted to put up my rambling but positive experience. I know I'm not done yet and a lot can go wrong from here on in but the bit most people dread is over. I know now that if my other crown fails (and all going well with healing) I'd choose an implant again in a heartbeat.

I don't know if we talk about money here or not, but my implant will cost £2,150 total. My work pays for me to have dental insurance so I'll "only" be out of pocket about £675 they think. Not bad for what will hopefully be a long term solution.

 

[Tibilibitauchyou]

Hi, thanks for sharing. I am in Scotland and looking into extracting my tooth with crown and getting the implant. Was your tooth extracted before the implant?

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Quiltybefevered. Welcome to DFC!! Thanks for sharing your implant story, this is awesome how you really overcame your fears and just stepped out courageously. Sounds like your dentist team took time to explain things and make sure you were nice and numb.. Those both can make SUCH a difference. Sorry you have to deal with an ulcer, that is no fun at all! I hope you will get plenty of rest and there won't be too much pain at all! That is awesome financially it was a pretty affordable option for you too. This is such a beautiful and encouraging testimony! Hope we can hear the rest of your journey!

 

[QuiltyBefevered]

@Tibilibitauchyou Hey - it was a crown that failed basically so the tooth had already been removed and root canalled for the crown procedure a few years ago.

Your comment is great timing as I had just 2 weeks ago had the implant fitted. It’s been amazing. It’s not been the most economical of journeys but it’s worth every penny. I’ve been treating the new tooth as one of my own as it were from day 1 and it’s fair to say I’ve had zero pain, zero discomfort and zero getting used to it as they had warned me could happen. It also looks exactly like my surrounding teeth so the lab did an amazing job. They even took photos of it when in to say thanks to the lab for doing such a good job. My teeth aren’t artificially whitened but are considered in the “bright” shades of natural which she said is unusual for my age (almost 50) so they warned it may be a difficult match.

I can’t say enough positive things about the whole experience. I even sent them an email a few days after to say thanks and to consider me a former nervous patient as I’m not anymore

 

[TRE]

@QuiltyBefevered
Could you say more about the aftermath of the implantation, what happened in the days right afterwards in terms of eating, bleeding, etc.?

 

[QuiltyBefevered]

@TRE Of course. I am killing time at work so I'll go into as much detail as I can remember as I know before my procedure I craved to know everything.

Just to confirm first off the bat and to save you reading down if you don't want to, I had ZERO bleeding, I had no trouble eating and I didn't need a single one of the painkillers they had given me. Straight after the surgery day when the screw was put in I was advised to eat as I felt comfortable with. That was the main message - go with what I was comfortable with, just no sucking for 48 hours.

So I last left you with the day I had the the screw itself put into my jawbone. He cut a chunk of my gum to get access, drilled the screw into my jawbone and closed up the side of my gum after putting the little silver cap on the screw top. I was warned not to use a straw and do NOT use mouthwash as you normally would. You will be given the special mouthwash but just let it run around your mouth. DO NOT SUCK. That can remove the blood clot that needs to form to let the healing start.

Considering I could feel a LOT of pulling and pressure I was expecting to be very sore the next days when the paracetamol wore off but I promise you other than a small sensitive area inside my cheek of all places I didn't crack open any other painkillers. Not a single one.

I remember planning on eating quite "softly" for 5 days or so but other than being cautious the first 24 hours I was back eating as I normally do on day 2.

You also don't have to be worried about your tongue fiddling with the new screw that is now covering the anchor which is busy growing new bone around it in your jaw which gives it the stability that makes them almost like your own teeth. He said my mouth will just get used to the little silver cap, and sure enough after 3 days the novelty worse off any my tongue stopped fiddling with it. Depending on where in your mouth they are they aren't noticeable in most instances.

I was called in for 3 or 4 (can't quite remember) check ups between May 2025 and August 2025 while it was healing. I was barely in the chair for 5 minutes while he checked it, x-rayed and I was back out again it was that quick. As he said the quick check ups mean I'm doing everything right.

I was then in for the implant impressions in mid August. While that appointment was ZERO pain and I didn't need any anesthetic because no nerves are being fiddled with, this was the most uncomfortable appointment for me. I am claustrophobic. I hate confined spaces and if I feel like my airway is restricted I start to panic. I would have appreciated knowing how long the trays and gel which sealed my mouth were going to have been in before starting. It was my own fault for going ahead with it when my hay fever kicked in on the way there and my nose started to stuff up. They offered to reschedule but I just wanted to get closer to having my implant. As I said it was just uncomfortable not being able to breathe through my mouth when my nose wasn't at 100%. It was just 60 seconds each for 2 sets of impressions and then the 3D scan of my whole mouth.

They then took off the silver cap which was just some pressure, and started measuring the depth of the space and taking those measurement. The sensation of the little metal screw going in and out was odd but not painful or uncomfortable.

8 days later my implant was ready to be put in. It took all of 15 minutes just to clean out the space, disinfect everything thoroughly, put a little antibiotic into the space, screw it in (again pressure) and then test my bite. She had to buff a fraction of a millimeter off it for my bite to make full contact and then that was it. She took photos as she was thrilled with the work the lab did and how it fit in my mouth so naturally.

She said it could take a few weeks to get used to having the tooth again and for my bite to feel natural but I can say, hand on heart, it has felt like my natural tooth from the second I walked out of there.

I know not everyone will have or has had the same luck I have had with mine but I just wanted to make sure the good stories get out there amongst the nervous patients because being one myself I know we're super quick spreading the bad news first If I had to have another implant I wouldn't lose the sleep I did before having this one. From start to finish I had more pain hitting my elbow off my office desk the other than than I did with the whole implant procedure.

In the very unlikely event I've missed any detail just ask - if it helps reduce the anxiety I'm all too familiar with there's no question too silly or basic.

 

[TRE]

@QuiltyBefevered
dear friend, thank you so much, I am going to read this whole thing several times, but just glancing at it at first, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for you taking the time at work. At the moment you are the messenger I’ve been waiting for. I’ve been delaying the extraction and attempted implant of tooth number seven, and it’s causing further bone loss.

I’m now going to take a close look at your generous and articulate response, and circle back with you, thanks in advance for remaining available, subject to your availability availability

 

[TRE]

@QuiltyBefevered

Thread 'Fear about implant - see attached xrays'
https://www.dentalfearcentral.org/forum/threads/fear-about-implant-see-attached-xrays.36487/@QuiltyBefevered

As you can see, tooth #7 has resorption and is not savable; the prosthodontist proposes to extract, bone graph, implant and temporary crown, all in one sitting.
This condition has been going on for two years. I want to postpone surgery another month or two; the doctor, however says waiting even that short period of time may endanger the surrounding teeth. I can’t imagine since it’s been a slow progression that another month or two would make a difference, but hey, what do I know? please advise , empathize, any feedback is welcome. That’s why I joined today this portal. This is my first posting.

 

[TRE]

@QuiltyBefevered

Further my earlier posts:

Thank you so much for writing this up — it really resonates with me. I’ve been circling around making an appointment for an extraction/implant, and reading your account helped me see that the hardest part is often just committing to step in the door.

What really stood out was the way your dentist kept things quiet and steady, explaining the tools and pausing as needed. That seems like it made such a difference. I’ve been struggling with the feeling of indignity and loss of control that comes with these procedures, and I’m curious how you balanced that — did you find ways to give yourself back a sense of dignity during the appointment?

I’m grateful for your story. It makes the whole process feel more possible, even if I’m still working through the nerves.

 

[QuiltyBefevered]

@TRE Hey Tre, I hope you're well. Honestly I didn't have any of those issues. I don't suffer with anxiety and I am so grateful my mental health allowed me to establish that my dental phobias/fears/issues were with the previous dentist I had as a child and not the dental procedures themselves.

My new dental surgery here in Scotland is amazing. I cannot praise them enough. It turns out my actual dentist - not the surgeon that did the implant ground work - has done lots of training on anxiety with patients and suffers from anxiety herself. My own GP (during a general conversation) and the dentist herself confirmed I don't have anxiety in general - I'm just someone who suffered extreme physical pain as a child during a procedure that I was going to have to always volunteer myself for if I wanted to keep my teeth healthy i.e you only ever go to the dentist of your own free will.

What I do know is the feeling of an actual high coming out from the dentist knowing how well everything went and how it was going to be worth it in the end. My mother didn't look after her teeth in her later years and she really regretted it because of the amount of work she had to have done. She too was a victim of more barbaric dentistry in the 1950's rural Ireland. So she was a great warning flag of what happens if I don't get things sorted now. We're not meant to be without teeth, even those you can't see. It affects so much more than aesthetics of how our smile/face looks.

I couldn't possibly comment on your specific teeth as I think that's always best left to the professionals that trained for years upon years and who we pay a lot of money for their wisdom.

What I do know if nothing is ever improved by postponing when it comes to dental work. My mother is a case in point. She kept putting it off and off and by the time she went in she had lot a lot of viable options open to her that would have reduced the amount of work, the expense and the time. She ended up paying over €25,000 over the course of a year. Had she gone in even a year beforehand they said it could have saved her a LOT of money and work.

When I think of how quickly the bone grew around my implant it just confirmed to me how quickly things change in the human body. I really hope you make that appointment as soon as possible and then you can work on preparing yourself for the day. At least when you have a date in mind you can plan accordingly.

The very best of luck!