Any advice on dental implants from personal experience?

I can only address chewing, and not from an implant status. I had a bad temp crown, there were delays, etched etc etc. anyway, it necessitated me chewing only one the left side for about a month. The first few days I was super aware of it, then it was automatic. After all was said and done, I had to consciously relearn to use both sides while chewing. ,y mouth was a circus-in-training for a while.
Sorry I can’t address the other stuff.

I have three implants and they’re great. My first one I was very nervous about because I thought it would be an extremely painful recovery. I bought soft foods, planned to stay home for at least one day and didn’t really know what to expect but was anticipating great pain. I was elated when the surgery ended and I felt no pain. The dentist told me that most people report a pretty painless recovery. I then thought that once the painkillers wore off, the pain would come and it didn’t. It was fine.

As you know, the implants require three things – the implant, the post and then the crown.

None of those caused me any pain, despite the fact that the gums need to be cut and there’s drilling going into your bone, and you’re awake for it.

The three surgeries I had, I had a valium for, one valium taken on the morning of surgery, but it really wasn’t necessary.

As I mentioned, I had three implants, the first one over 20 years ago. I just got a new crown for that one. The dentist told me 20 years is a good amount of time for the crown to last. I got the first two implants done at Columbia Dental School, as I was not working full time at the time I needed them. The implants and the crowns for the first two were done at Columbia, the third implant and crown was done from a regular specialist. The third one (the one not from Columbia) was about 10 years ago.

I tell everyone that I highly recommend dental implants. They don’t rot, you can eat what you want, they look just like your regular teeth, you don’t see any wires (like you do with bridges), you don’t take them out at night (like dentures), and they’re great. Yes it’s a bit expensive and yes it involves surgeries, but once that’s all over, they’re really almost better than real teeth. :)

I should add that when I heard about drilling going into the bone, I was thinking of drilling like the dentist does for cavities, which is painful. The drilling into the bone was nothing like that- it was a big, dull type of drill, or at least the drilling sounded more like “tap tap tap” rather than “zzzzzzzz.” Not painful at all.

@jca Yay! Thanks!

My first-ever extraction of an adult tooth was a molar (I think) some twenty-odd years ago. Because of inability to schedule the extraction (it was an emergency, due to inflammation and pain), it was done on the afternoon of the day that the family started a one-week vacation trip. I had some of the same concerns that you have now, I’m sure: what is this going to do to my plans?

The dentist had given instructions on how to avoid complications: soft foods and soups, no sucking through straws or equivalent (because the vacuum that would create in my mouth could threaten sutures and cause bleeding), pain meds, etc. etc.

In the end, the extraction caused me zero problems, and I didn’t even need the pain meds. (I was advised to keep a wadded gauze pad pressed in place for the rest of the day of the extraction, and that was bloody and uncomfortable as the extraction site started its healing process that day. But that was not “painful”, just swollen, tender and – for the rest of the afternoon – a bit bloody. The trip was otherwise enjoyable, and the next morning I was fine.) I think I may have had three extractions since then; the first was the worst.

The only issue that I had with that first one was that chewing brittle foods such as potato chips, for example, or hard foods such as nuts and seeds, did cause problems and tenderness on that side of my mouth, when I would forget myself. So I would definitely recommend that you avoid such foods until the sutures are healed and the gum in that area is somewhat toughened from exposure to normal chewing, food textures, temperature changes, etc.

Regarding the implant, however, my first implant was begun nearly ten years ago when I had the implant itself – with its temporary cover plate (not a temporary crown) – installed, with instructions to come back in six months or so for the crown. Because of various reasons, I never did get around to having the crown placed… for about six years. The temporary implant plate caused zero problems: no pain, no unsightliness (it was for another molar, after all), no trouble or effect on eating, drinking, speaking or any other oral activity. (As I recall, and just like with any other dental procedure, it took several days – maybe even weeks – for my tongue to get used to the new feel of my mouth, but that’s normal – at least for me – with nearly any dental work.)

When I finally had the new implant put in by another dentist (and I was so afraid that he would criticize and cavil about the earlier dentist’s work, the time that had elapsed and the conditions that he’d be starting from – but there were zero complications there, either), the new implant felt – for weeks! – as if I had a cement column installed in my mouth. Boy, was that awkward for awhile. It felt huge; it felt rough; it felt like it didn’t belong in my mouth at all. But in short order I got used to it, and have had no problems with it.

I’m sure you’ll be fine. Enjoy your travel! Mind the potato chips and mixed nuts.

I have several of them, @janbb. I was anxious at first, because my dentist (who is an amazingly brilliant magician, technician, and stylist whom I don’t want to outlive) told me that if you even think about eating anything, you have to floss. I’ve actually gotten away with a lot of laxity there.

It was by no means as painful as an extraction. I expected 3 days of pain, and it was only about 12 hours. I turned down the heavy-duty painkillers and was fine with Tylenol. I was careful to do faithfully everything he ordered, mainly the rinses. I had no limitations with respect to chewing on one side, never mind for three months. That sounds weird to me.

I wouldn’t have wanted to fly in the first few days, but after that I’d have anticipated no problem. However, that’s a good question for another pro.

The hard part was waiting for 4 months for the bone graft to take. I opted not to pay a lot of money for a temporary filler, so I had a gap. When it’s way back on the side, it’s not bad, but I actually went for 5 months with a missing tooth right near the top front, and I was very self-conscious about it. Still, my dental plan would have left me paying a lot for vanity, and I chose not to.

No advice here with implants but lot of experience with RC procedure.. you should be fine if you follow what doctor is saying.. All the best..)