Many people all over the world have come to appreciate the convenience of having their missing teeth replaced with dental implants. But if you're still holding onto concerns, it's perfectly understandable. There are many questions that one might have about dental implants before getting them, so here are a few common concerns and questions, answered.

Is it painful?

Before undergoing any kind of dental procedure, it's common for people to have concerns and worries about whether or not they're going to hurt. The good news here is that you shouldn't expect any significant pain or difficulty from getting dental implants.

Getting a dental implant has a lot in common with having wisdom teeth extracted. If a tooth or portion of the tooth is still present, that will be removed first. This is accomplished by opening up the gums and surgically extracting the tooth. Once it's out of the way, a dental implant will be inserted. Then, the gums will be stitched up around the top of the implant. That's all there is to the surgical portion. After this, all you need to do is to wait for your bones and gums to close up around the implant, and then you'll be able to have the crown put on top. Your dentist will ensure that you're not in pain by providing pain relief during and after the procedure.

Is it a security complication?

Having anything metal inserted into the body sometimes worries people over whether or not they'll encounter problems when going through security checkpoints, like at an airport. Thankfully, artificial teeth and metal fillings are extremely common and are very small, so they rarely raise any kind of concerns or suspicions on the part of security personnel. However, if you're still concerned and want to cover all of your bases, you can always ask your dentist for a letter and/or proof after you've had the implants inserted. If you're given any trouble at a security checkpoint, you can provide this information so that they can confirm that the metal detector or 3D scan is only noticing something because you have a dental implant.

What do they feel like?

Unlike real teeth, dental implants and other dental replacement methods lack nerves. This means that there's less sensation when biting down on an artificial tooth than a real one. However, dental implants have a unique advantage over dentures and bridges in this regard.

When you bite down on a bridge or denture, it only applies pressure to the surface of your gums as they're pushed down against them. Dental implants, however, reach all the way down to the bone. This means that when you bite down on it, pressure will transfer onto, into, and through your gums and jaw bone. While you won't have any sensitivity to things like cold or hot in your dental implant, you will be able to feel pressure.