Patient experiences of post‐operative pain and impact on daily life following implant placement in a practice setting

Abstract

Background : Dental implant treatment is nowadays a common option for replacing missing teeth. Implant insertion is a surgical technique which can be complemented with ridge augmentation procedures. Some degree of post-operative pain is to be expected. For many patients this is an unknown experience. There is limited evidence on the immediate daily management of post-implant surgical pain and impact on the quality of life.Aim/Hypothesis : To investigate the level of pain and analgesic regimes experienced by patients having single and multiple implant placements.Material and Methods : Consecutive patients who were having 1-3 implants placed were recruited from the private practice in South East England of an experienced oral surgeon. Two groups were created, single and multiple implant placement. Edentulous patients and smokers were excluded in this survey. Any patients on long-term analgesia were also excluded. Participants were then asked to complete a pain diary for recording the time, the type and the dosage of pain relief that they took in the first 4 days after the surgery. They were also asked to complete a visual analogue scale (VAS) every morning and every evening in the first 4 days following the surgery indicating the amount of pain they experienced.Results : Consecutive patients who were having 1-3 implants placed were recruited from the private practice in South East England of an experienced oral surgeon. Two groups were created, single and multiple implant placement. Edentulous patients and smokers were excluded in this survey. Any patients on long-term analgesia were also excluded. Participants were then asked to complete a pain diary for recording the time, the type and the dosage of pain relief that they took in the first 4 days after the surgery. They were also asked to complete a visual analogue scale (VAS) every morning and every evening in the first 4 days following the surgery indicating the amount of pain they experienced. Conclusion and Clinical Implications :The early results of this on-going study show that minor implant surgery is a well tolerated procedure by patients who experience moderate pain on the day of surgery, mild on Day 2 and pain free by Day 3. Levels of discomfort appear to be readily controlled with simple analgesics, most commonly Paracetamol.