For many patients, the prospect of dental implant pain is very intimidating. And this is not surprising, especially if you have had agonising toothache that resulted in the loss of the tooth in the first place. The good news is that the pain from dental implant surgery is associated with the procedure, and when your new dental implant is established you should not experience further pain in the site.
Will My Dental Implants Hurt?
This question comes up all the time and it’s important to remember that dental implant surgery is a surgery, and your dentist will need to make an incision into your jaw. Cutting into your soft tissue and bone does hurt, the amount of pain is highly dependant on the individual. It is also relative to how complex your procedure is and how many implants are placed in your mouth.
Your dental implant surgery will be carried out with anaesthesia so that you do not feel your dentist at work.
What About After the Procedure?
It is normal to experience some tenderness and swelling after the anaesthetic has worn off. You may also experience a little bleeding and bruising as well. All of these side effects are normal but these side effects should diminish in the days following your surgery, not get worse.
It is considered relatively normal to experience these side effects for up to 10 days following your surgery. Here is a timeline to help you manage your recovery from dental implant surgery:
7 days after dental implant surgery: You may still have some pain a week after your surgery but you should follow your dentist’s care instructions.
14 days after dental implant surgery: Any pain should have stopped two weeks following your surgery. If you still feel the pain, you should contact your dentist as you may have an infection.
Three to four months after surgery: If you still feel pain three or four months after surgery you will need to have it investigated. Pain after this length of time could be caused by a number of factors including infection, an autoimmune disease, overloading the implant, indications with other medication you may be taking, damage to tissues or nerves or your body rejecting the implant.
Pain that starts as long as a year after your dental implant surgery is most likely caused by teeth grinding, smoking or poor oral hygiene, lack of bone or lack of soft tissue.
Causes Of Dental Implant Pain
Placing dental implants is a complex procedure and sometimes issues can arise that result in discomfort. Here are some of the factors that can result in tooth pain after a dental implant.
An infection
An infection of the implant or gum infection can cause pain. It is important to detect and treat it early in order to manage it.
A loose implant
If your jaw is not thick enough your dental implant can loosen. This can be very uncomfortable and cause you pain. Most frequently this can be only be dealt with by removing the loose implant and replacing it, however, you may need a bone graft in order to give you a more solid jaw.
Implant rejection
Sometimes your implant does not integrate with your jaw and is rejected. This is called dental implant failure and it can cause pain because the implant is loose. If your body rejects your implant you will need to find a different tooth replacement option.
Nerve damage
Although it is unusual, nerve damage can happen if the dentist’s drill gets too close to a nerve. If this does happen it can cause pain.
How To Manage Dental Implant Pain?
Your dentist will give you instructions specific to your procedure but for the most part, you should expect to:
- Avoid hard foods
- Avoid chewing on the side of your mouth that had the procedure
- Take a painkiller every few hours
- Apply an ice compress to reduce swelling and inflammation
- Rinse your mouth with warm salt water to keep the area clean
- Be able to rest and recharge so that your recovery goes quickly
- Brush and floss two to three times per day.
In summary, embedding a dental implant requires a surgical procedure. You can expect some pain and discomfort after your surgery for a maximum of seven to ten days. After this, the pain should improve. In the event that it does not, the pain is likely to have been caused by a complication and needs to be assessed by your dentist. In the event that your recommended dose of painkiller is not effective in the seven to ten-day window, raise it with your dentist so the dosage can be increased or the pain killer changed for something more effective.
Remember to follow your dentist’s care instructions and return for your follow up appointments.
Still, have questions about dental implant pain? It’s always best to speak to a professional:(02)91586753