Dental implants are placed during a surgical procedure that requires your dentist to cut through your gum and drill into the underlying bone. Once it is completed, your dentist will stitch the area up. Today we are going to explain when does a tooth implant hurt, what is normal discomfort and when you should contact your dentist about dental implant pain.
Does A Tooth Implant Hurt: Understanding Tooth Implant Pain
All stages of dental implant surgery are done under anaesthetic, which means you should not feel any pain while your dentist is working. However, once the anaesthetic wears off it’s quite common to experience some pain, discomfort and inflammation. Any pain or discomfort can be managed quite easily with over the counter medication for swelling and pain.
Dental implant pain rarely lasts for more than a few days and should improve incrementally as the days pass following your procedure. To put it into perspective, many patients indicate that the pain after a dental implant is not as severe as a tooth extraction – however, everyone’s perception and experience of pain are different and some people are more sensitive to it than others.
Dental Implants: Pain Management Options
If you are very concerned about pain, speak to your dentist about your options for anaesthesia. Most procedures are performed under local anaesthetic but if you are worried about pain or do not want to be awake during the surgery, your dentist may recommend general anaesthetic or sedation dentistry as alternatives.
Dental Implant Pain: What To Expect Afterwards
Pain is likely to be experienced at the implant site and may be accompanied by a little bruising, some swelling, some bleeding and possibly some jaw pain. Using cold compresses and pain medication should be sufficient to manage pain and discomfort after dental implants. You should avoid very hot, cold, sticky and crunchy foods after your surgery, as this can cause you to feel more pain.
How Long Does Pain Last After Dental Implants?
On average most patients find that the pain only lasts for three to five days, and they only need pain medication for one or two days after the surgery.
Bruising, swelling and stiffness in your jaw may last for a little longer, between seven and 10 days.
If you experience pain or discomfort for longer than this, it is advisable to contact your dentist. In most cases, dental implant pain that persists for longer than a week could be a sign of a problem such as
The incision opening-up
If this happens, your dentist will give you a special mouthwash to use to keep the site clean or prescribe an antibiotic so you don’t develop an infection.
Implant failure
If your dental implants have not fused to your jaw bone, they can cause you to feel pain. In some cases, it might be necessary to remove the dental implant and try the procedure a little later on.
An infection
If bacteria have penetrated the surgical site, it can cause an infection that is accompanied by pain and swelling.
Tooth implant pain: when to contact your dentist
If you have pain around your dental implants and it is accompanied by any of these signs or symptoms, you must contact your dentist immediately
- Nausea or throwing up
- Fever
- Swelling that gets worse
- Continuous bleeding
What If You Start To Feel Pain A Long Time After Dental Implants?
Pain that starts weeks or months after your dental implant procedure could indicate dental implant failure. This has a higher likelihood of happening if you are a smoker, you develop gum disease, you develop a bacterial infection or you have uncontrolled diabetes, and it may present with
- Inflammation
- Bone loss
- The implant moving horizontally in your jaw
It is important to keep in contact with your dentist in the week following your surgery and to ensure that you go to your recall appointments every six months. In the event that a complication does develop, your dentist will be able to identify and treat it early. In the same way that your natural teeth need care and maintenance, so too do your dental implants. While they may not be able to decay, they can develop plaque buildup which can affect your gum health, and your gums need to stay healthy to support a tooth implant.
If you are worried about pain or would like to learn more about pain management options for dental implants it’s best to speak to a professional. Please contact us for help with ‘does a tooth implant hurt’: (02) 8203 8760.
REFERENCES
Is It Common to Experience Pain After Getting Dental Implants?
https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/dental-implant-pain
How Painful Are Dental Implants?
https://www.medicinenet.com/how_painful_are_dental_implants/article.htm
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