Dental implants are an effective and permanent solution to missing teeth. Still, some patients complain of throbbing pain during the healing process. It is a surgical procedure, so some discomfort is expected, but dental implant pain shouldn’t last more than a few days.
Dr. Brisman is an experienced implant dentist and oral surgeon. You can have confidence in his implant placement. Still, we also want you to be informed about the healing process and how much pain after dental implants is normal.
What is a dental implant?
A dental implant is a procedure Dr. Brisman performs to put a metal post in your jaw bone to support a dental crown. The whole thing is meant to look, feel, and function like a natural tooth.
Implant dentistry is a great long-term solution for patients with missing teeth. Most implants are successful, and the procedure has an overall success rate of around 98%.
How much is pain normal after a dental implant?
Due to numbing and sedation, you are unlikely to feel pain and discomfort right after your dental implant is inserted. However, a few hours following your appointment, you will experience some discomfort.
Fill your prescribed pain medications and take them as directed. Over-the-counter pain medication can also help if Dr. Brisman does not prescribe anything. Applying ice to your cheek near the afflicted region at 10-minute intervals might also assist discomfort.
Tips for Keeping the Area Clean and Dry
- Rinse your mouth with salt water after meals and snacks.
- Clean the area around the implant with a gentle stream of water.
- Avoid using a toothbrush to clean the area which irritates.
- Let the area air dry after rinsing it.
- Use a cold compress on the site to help reduce inflammation.
- Contact Dr. Brisman if the pain does not improve within a few days.
- Report any changes in how the implant feels.
- Follow your aftercare instructions.
What does an infected implant feel like?
An infected implant can cause severe pain, swelling, and tenderness around the implant. There might also be redness around the implant site. Call Dr. Brisman right away if you have any of these symptoms or experience pain that doesn’t go away. We will be able to help determine whether or not your implant is infected and give you the necessary treatment.
How long does recovery take?
Dental implant placement is major oral surgery, so it’s expected to have some recovery time. The implant healing process can take approximately two weeks. During the initial healing period, you may feel pain and discomfort, but this will lessen over time. You should not feel serious pain that doesn’t go away. If this is the case, you may have an implant infection and should contact us right away.
The First Few Days
In a few days, your implant pain and discomfort should have decreased considerably. Usually, the pain will peak during the first three days of recovery. You may still notice bruising, swelling, and heat in the region, although these will lessen with time.
After the First Week
After about a week, your mouth will be considerably less sensitive and your implant pain should have decreased significantly. You should be able to brush the region without discomfort, and there should be no bleeding or swelling.
Two Weeks and Beyond
Within a few weeks, your implant site should be completely healed. It may still feel somewhat sensitive when pressed, but there should not be any bleeding or discomfort. However, the area might still be slightly bruised or swollen.
If you’re feeling a lot of serious pain and discomfort beyond one or two weeks following surgery, this isn’t normal, and you should consult Dr. Brisman so he can inspect the implant area.
What are the risks of dental implants?
Implant surgery is a standard procedure performed by an oral surgeon. However, like any significant oral surgery, it does carry some risk of complications.
Sinus Damage
The risk of sinus damage is one of the most severe dental implant risks. Your upper jaw is directly attached to your nasal cavities. As a result, implants replacing your front teeth might enter the sinus, causing discomfort or infection. If this occurs, you should contact the dentist immediately so Dr. Brisman can advise you on what you can do to manage the problem.
Infection
Dental implant surgery has the same risk of infection as any other oral surgery. As your incisions heal, your dentist will advise you on keeping them clean. If you experience discomfort, swelling, or fluid flow from the incision site, contact Dr. Brisman immediately. He will be able to determine if additional procedures are necessary to treat the infection.
Nerve Damage
Implant surgery may harm your nerves, and we will take every precaution to avoid this complication. However, damage to the nerve might have long-term repercussions, so Dr. Brisman will take X-rays before your surgery to identify the nerves in your mouth.
How can you tell if your body is rejecting a dental implant?
Some signs that could indicate a dental implant failure are:
- Noise sensitivity
- Throbbingly sensitive to sound
- Mild dizziness, unsteady gait
- Sensitivity to heat and cold
- Tinnitus – ringing in the ear, whistling sound
- Redness, swelling, and tenderness around the implant
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact Dr. Brisman immediately. He can help determine whether your body rejects the implant and provides the necessary treatment.
Possible Reasons for Prolonged Pain After Dental Implants
Infection
Gum infection or peri-implantitis is one of the most typical dental implant concerns that cause discomfort. A small number of conditions are because of bacteria transfer that occurred during surgery. Still, it is usually due to poor oral hygiene.
Other symptoms include swelling, inflammation, bleeding around the implant site, and feeling pain that isn’t subsiding. If you think you may have signs of infection, please let us know immediately.
Instability
If your implant feels loose, it’s likely due to a loss of bone around the implant. Your implant could be failing, or it never joined adequately with the surrounding bone in the first place.
Whatever the cause, you’ve undoubtedly been feeling some discomfort from it. In most cases, Dr. Brisman must remove a loose dental implant.
Bad Bite
If your tooth implant has not been correctly positioned into your jawbone, you may feel discomfort in the surrounding bone. As a result, the extra force might push the implant farther into the bone when you bite down, causing pain.
Problems with bites usually aren’t a significant concern. Simply changing the implant’s crown will usually correct the problem.
Contact Our Office
If you are interested in dental implants, Brisman Implant and Oral Surgery would love to help you. Your oral health is important to us, and we are committed to making sure you get the treatment you need. Whether you need a consultation or want to follow up about any pain or symptoms following a procedure, contact Dr. Brisman today!
