What do you feel while the implant is placed?
According to Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), implants are usually placed under local anaesthetic, an injection that numbs the area. Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust says that once it is numb, you do not feel any pain during the procedure.
Numbness blocks pain but not every sensation: UMass Memorial Health says you may hear sounds or feel vibrations, and an NHS Lothian leaflet on minor oral surgery under local anaesthetic tells patients to expect pushing and pressure. Tell your dentist straight away if anything hurts. If you dread the injection, the Oral Health Foundation suggests saying so, so that a numbing gel can be put on the gum first.
How much does it hurt afterwards, and for how long?
Soreness can start as the anaesthetic wears off, usually for a limited period:
- Guy’s and St Thomas’: pain varies between people, most need regular painkillers, and the discomfort should only last up to a week.
- CUH: it is unlikely to be very sore after implant surgery, and there is relatively little swelling.
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust: swelling and bruising are usually at their worst 24 to 48 hours after surgery.
- Hacettepe University: in a specialty thesis (Kocabaş, 2017), 115 patients recorded their pain daily after implant surgery. About a third (31%) reported moderate or severe pain in the first three days; from the fourth day, 6% did.
A 2021 systematic review in Frontiers in Pharmacology (Melini and colleagues) describes pain after implant surgery as usually mild or moderate, though some patients have severe pain. In the Hacettepe study, more pain was linked with longer surgery, additional procedures, long-lasting pain after earlier operations, and gender.
How are pain and swelling managed in the first days?
Your dentist’s instructions come first; hospital leaflets agree on these points:
- Painkillers on time: Guy’s and St Thomas’ advises starting them before the local anaesthetic wears off and taking them regularly for the first two days. Your dentist decides which painkiller, how much and for how long; mention other medicines, especially blood thinners, and allergies.
- Cold packs: the same source suggests 10 minutes every hour during the first six hours, for example frozen vegetables wrapped in a clean cloth, never ice directly on the skin.
- Rest: CUH advises taking the rest of the day off. After a bone graft, Cleveland Clinic also recommends keeping your head raised and eating soft foods.
- Bleeding: if the wound bleeds again, Guy’s and St Thomas’ advises biting firmly on a rolled-up clean handkerchief for at least 30 minutes.
Does bone grafting or a sinus lift change how it feels?
In the Hacettepe study, additional procedures during surgery were linked with more pain early on and with pain three months later.
- Bone grafting: Guy’s and St Thomas’ says some people need minor grafting when the implant is placed. Cleveland Clinic says tenderness, swelling and bruising after a graft should go away within a week or two, and that losing a few small, sand-like granules in the first days is usually normal.
- Sinus lift: CUH says this procedure, which makes room for an upper implant beneath the sinus, is usually done under local anaesthetic and is not normally painful. Swelling is usually worst after two days, bruising can spread over the cheek, a nosebleed can occur, and you should not blow your nose for two weeks.
We carry out bone grafting and sinus lifts at our clinic. Whether you need either is shown by the examination and a cone-beam CT (CBCT) scan.
When is pain not part of normal healing?
Contact your dentist without waiting for your check-up if:
- pain or swelling gets worse instead of better (Mayo Clinic); CUH’s sinus lift leaflet names worsening after two days
- you have a fever, pus or severe pain (Cleveland Clinic)
- bleeding does not stop after 30 minutes of firm pressure; Guy’s and St Thomas’ advises going to an emergency department
- the implant feels loose (Cleveland Clinic)
- your lip, chin or tongue stays numb after the anaesthetic should have worn off; CUH says bruising of a nerve usually recovers within a few months and is rarely permanent
What if you are anxious about the treatment?
NHS England’s clinical standards for dental anxiety management report, from the Adult Dental Health Survey, that 12% of adults have anxiety at a level that could be considered phobic. The Oral Health Foundation suggests mentioning it when you book and bringing a friend or family member for support. NHS England calls an agreed stop signal, such as raising a hand, simple yet very effective, and describes tell-show-do, in which each step is explained and shown before it is done.
The Oral Health Foundation describes sedation by injection into a vein or by breathing “gas and air”, both meant to help you feel calm. Whether sedation would be suitable and available for you should be clarified before you book.
NHS England says general anaesthesia may be indicated when behavioural and sedation techniques alone are not enough, when a lot of treatment is needed, or because of medical problems or a complex procedure. At our clinic, treatment can be done under general anaesthesia when needed; whether that applies to you is decided after the examination.
How do the first days after surgery affect your travel plans?
- Surgery day: plan nothing else. CUH advises resting, and our planning your visit page advises against a long journey that day. On treatment days, we take you between your accommodation in Sapanca and the clinic.
- General anaesthesia: the NHS says its effects can last around 24 hours and that someone needs to take you home and stay with you. CUH advises not driving or signing legal documents for 48 hours after sedation or general anaesthesia for several implants. If you are travelling alone, raise this early.
- Days two and three: swelling usually peaks, so keep them quiet.
- Flying home: the surgical area is checked before you fly. A 2023 British Dental Journal article (Felkai and colleagues) suggests waiting at least 72 hours after an uncomplicated implant placement and two weeks after a sinus lift or bone graft, provided there is no pain, swelling or bleeding. It warns that pressure changes during the flight can cause pain, so ask your dentist which painkiller to take if needed. The drive from Sapanca to Istanbul’s airports usually takes 1.5 to 2 hours. More in how many days to stay in Türkiye for dental implants.
What should you do if pain or swelling starts after you get home?
Our aftercare and follow-up page lists warning signs, such as pain or swelling that gets worse after the third day, fever or numbness that does not wear off, and advises seeking emergency help locally for difficulty breathing or swallowing or very heavy bleeding. Otherwise:
- Send us photos on WhatsApp with a short description: where it hurts, since when, whether it is improving and which medicines you have taken.
- If it needs examining in person, see your local dentist and take the copies of your treatment summary and X-rays that you receive before you leave. The General Dental Council advises telling your own dentist about your plans before you travel, in case of later complications.
- Discuss the next steps with us before major work is redone elsewhere.
How is discomfort managed at Rönesans?
Implants are placed under local anaesthetic, and treatment can also be done under general anaesthesia when needed. Planning uses a CBCT scan at our clinic, where bone grafting and sinus lifts are also carried out; the planned procedures are listed in your written treatment and cost plan. You know which dentist will treat you from the start, and our dentists review your case together. If you are nervous, tell us when you first get in touch.
Before you leave, you receive aftercare instructions and the surgical area is checked. Depending on your case, a temporary tooth can be fitted for the healing months, and follow-up after treatment follows a defined process.
We are open Monday to Friday 10:00–22:00 and Saturday 10:00–19:00, Türkiye time. Send photos and questions on WhatsApp at +90 532 363 49 54, call our head office on +90 264 606 09 43 or use our contact page; during opening hours we reply in English and German within 15 minutes. See also our dental implants page.