The pain that patients feel when they get dental implant surgery is actually not from the hole made in the bone or the placement of the implant — the pain usually comes from the soft tissue manipulation that occurs during the process.
Patients can be informed that, in general, implant placement surgical experience is less unpleasant compared to tooth extraction with less postsurgical pain and limitation of daily activities. However, some factors can increase the pain intensity and discomfort level on individual bases.
The surgery itself should not involve any pain since the mouth will be numbed. As the numbness wears off, though, patients will often feel some level of pain. Many dental professionals provide pain medication to help manage discomfort at the implant site.
Pain Will Usually Peak Within 48-72 Hours After Your Surgery
Your pain may be accompanied by swelling, inflammation, bruising, and tenderness near the treatment site(s). For most patients, this pain will peak sometime between 48-72 hours after surgery, and will then begin to fade relatively quickly.
You May Experience Pain & Other Symptoms For Up To 7 Days
After about 3-7 days, you will likely still feel some pain and tenderness around the implant site. However, it should start to get less painful. You can usually return to work or school within 1-3 days after your surgery.
Dental implants can fail during the initial stages after the procedure or might result in long-term failure. You could ask yourself why my dental implant is throbbing when it is securely embedded in your jawbone. The throbbing indicates your dental implant is failing.
Your mouth will still be numb for a few hours after your implantation surgery. However, when the numbing wears off, you will feel everything. It means that your mouth will be subject to throbbing pain, swelling, and bleeding.
The most common reason for prolonged pain after dental implants is an infection of the implant site. If the implant site is not properly cleaned and disinfected, it can become inflamed, causing pain and discomfort, and preventing the implant from healing properly.
Blood flow to the head is increased when lying down.
When you lie down, the body increases blood flow to your head. If you have a cavity, cracked tooth, or other dental emergency, increased blood flow to the head means more swelling and inflammation.
With this, your muscles should begin to relax, allowing your implants to gradually settle and soften. The entire drop and fluff process can take three to six months to complete, however, so don't worry if your implants still feel tight or look a bit high even after most of the swelling has dissipated.
When You First Receive Your New Teeth. Once your prosthetic teeth are attached to your implants, they may feel a little odd in your mouth. After all, you may have gotten used to having some gaps in your smile. You might produce extra saliva, and your gums may be a little tender.
The risks and complications you are taking for dental implants include infection, damage to other teeth, delayed bone healing, nerve damage, prolonged bleeding, jaw fractures and more.
The procedure itself takes 1 to 2 hours and the healing time is 3 to 6 months. During this time the titanium alloy (the same material used in joint replacement) implant will heal around and merge with the surrounding bone tissue. No other load bearing medical implant has as rapid healing or recovery times.
If your tooth has significant decay and you're fine with the higher cost and more involved process, you may find opting for an implant as better for the long term. But if you prefer keeping your own tooth and understand the risks, a root canal can be a more affordable and less invasive option.
The bite strength of a dental implant is generally 80- to 90-percent the strength of a natural tooth. If you've lived with dentures, bridges, or weak/diseased teeth for any period, you understand the importance of a firm bite.
Pain After Dental Implant Surgery
If you can take ibuprofen (Motrin® or Advil®), take 400–600 mg every 6–8 hours or as prescribed by your doctor. Ibuprofen will help with pain relief and as an anti-inflammatory. If you cannot take ibuprofen, then 1–2 tablets of regular Tylenol® should be taken every 4 hours.
When it comes to sleeping position following dental surgery, it is a good idea to make sure to elevate the head. A good angle to achieve while sleeping is 45 degrees. You should sleep in the position for the first 36 to 48 hours following the surgery.
Most patients begin to experience significant improvements in their gums within a week of surgery, and their gums will be completely healed within 2 weeks of their treatment.
To keep your dental implant securely in place for decades to come, a small titanium post will be placed into your jawbone. Since this requires oral surgery, it's completely natural to feel a little tired or sore afterwards. After all, your mouth needs time to adapt to the major change it just underwent.
You Will Feel Normal After Between 1-2 Weeks After Treatment
Your implant site may feel slightly sore under pressure, but by the end of two weeks, you should be experiencing minimal bruising, swelling, and pain. Around this time, you'll visit Dr. Burden for a post-implant follow up.
Some signs of allergic reactions include loss of taste, swelling around the gums, and a tingling sensation. Sudden allergic reactions are a sign of dental implant failure because they indicate that your body is rejecting the implant.
About 2 weeks after surgery, your implant should be completely healed. You should feel little-to-no tenderness near the implant, and no pain or discomfort, and it will be time to get your stitches out, or they will dissolve on their own if self-dissolving stitches are used.
Pain Near The Affected Implant
Pain and discomfort likely indicates infection below the dental implant, which may be causing inflammation around the site. If your implant is causing you oral pain, call or come in right away to have the implant site assessed by an expert.
In general, there are three steps involved in the dental implant procedures. First, the implant itself is placed into the jawbone. Next, the abutment is added to the implant, which is where the artificial tooth will be connected. Finally, the prosthetic tooth, or crown, is placed onto the abutment.