Do I Have to Go to the Hospital For Dental Implant Surgery?
By Peter Scerbo | Published on October 13, 2010 | 0 Comments
Patients who need dental implants do not need to visit a hospital to have them placed, according to Dr. Peter Scerbo of Florida Smiles Dental in Fort Lauderdale. Instead, patients can have their dental implants put in right at a regular dentist’s office with the use of a local anesthetic.
When it comes to dental work, the need to do certain procedures in a hospital-type setting arises when more serious anesthesia options are required. For procedures that use only a local anesthetic like Lidocaine, however, patients rarely need to go anywhere other than their general dentist’s office to have the procedure performed.
The difference between local anesthesia and general anesthesia is that patients who use local anesthesia like Lidocaine do not have to be put to sleep. Lidocaine is the same anesthetic that dentists use when filling cavities, performing root canals, or extracting teeth.
Among the many benefits of using a local anesthetic like Lidocaine when placing dental implants is that patients can drive themselves to and from appointments. Dr. Scerbo says that as long as patients have not been given any sedation medication, which he typically does not use when placing dental implants at his Fort Lauderdale practice, then they can feel confident in their ability to drive themselves home immediately after their procedures.
Although people think of having dental implants placed as a major procedure, the reality is that patients do not have to be put under any general anesthetic or sedation medications while the placement is going on. The procedure for placing dental implants usually takes between an hour to an hour and 15 minutes, although Dr. Scerbo says that some cases can take more or less time depending on if there are any accompanying factors that make the implant placement more or less difficult.
After the initial implant placement has been done, Dr. Scerbo says that patients will need to return to the dentist’s office for a series of follow-up appointments over the next few weeks. In addition to having their stitches removed, patients will need to have x-rays taken to make sure their implants are healing properly.
Once it has been determined that an implant is healing just as it should, Dr. Scerbo will usually begin the next stage of the process, which is the point when he begins actually restoring the implant itself. In total, Dr. Scerbo says that it typically takes around two months of healing before a dentist can begin getting ready to put the final crown on the implant.
Having a dental implant placed is not nearly as scary as most people think, and Dr. Scerbo says that many would be surprised at how simple and pain-free the procedure can be. For individuals in Fort Lauderdale who have been hesitant to call a dentist for dental implants, Dr. Scerbo recommends calling his practice and coming in for an appointment to learn more.
*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.