Dental implants can be an excellent replacement for some people who have had their natural teeth pulled. If you have a dental implant and are in recovery, you may be wondering if you will experience pain, how much discomfort is typical, and when you should contact your dentist. We want to make sure that each patient understands what to expect throughout the healing time of their implant. What you should know about discomfort and suffering after dental implant installation is as follows:
A Certain Level of Implant Pain Is Common Following the Procedure
Mild discomfort and pain are to be expected following surgery when the anesthesia or dental sedation wears off. Bleeding is also normal during the first 24 to 48 hours following surgery. However, what’s considered as normal pain? To be clear, the level of discomfort you experience will vary depending on the complexity of the treatment and the number of implants inserted. A single dental implant installation will be less painful than the all-on-4 dental implant surgery. Additionally, the complete dental implant procedure can take many months from start to completion, but regardless of whether you undergo dental implant surgery in one or numerous stages, there are still moderate symptoms like:
- Face and gum swelling
- Skin and gum bruising
- Jaw pain
- Minor bleeding at the surgical site
To handle and alleviate pain, your oral surgeon will provide specifications for proper post-operative care including prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications, avoidance of certain foods like hard and hot foods, use of an ice pack to lessen swelling, instructions to rest on the day of the surgery and probably the following days, and directions for oral care measures of the surgical site.
How Long Should You Expect To Be In Pain?
Each patient recovers differently and each individual also has a distinct pain tolerance. After the procedure, your dentist will provide you with an estimate based on the complexity of the oral surgery. Here is a timeline to assist you in determining your recovery progress:
24-72 Hours After Surgery
Due to the anesthesia and sedation used during the procedure, you are unlikely to experience significant pain or discomfort immediately following the placement of your dental implant. However, within a few hours of the procedure, you will experience some pain. This is to be expected during a surgical procedure such as implant installation. Within 24-72 hours of treatment, you can anticipate a spike in your pain.
3-7 Days After Surgery
Your pain should start to subside after about three days. Bruising and swelling may still be present in the surgical site. After approximately five days, the swelling and pain should significantly reduce. Your mouth will feel considerably less sore after roughly a week. Brushing the area should be rather painless, and there should be no blood and far less swelling and bruising.
2 Weeks After Surgery
The area surrounding your implant will be fully healed in about one to two weeks. You shouldn’t experience any severe pain by this time. It may remain slightly painful to touch, but there should be no visible bleeding. Furthermore, there will be minimal to no swelling or bruising on the site. During this time, you will be able to eat normally again and should be able to resume vigorous exercise or physical activities such as running.
What Should I Do If I Am Still In Pain 2 Weeks After Surgery?
Most dental implant patients should recover after roughly two weeks of surgery, while another 3-6 months may be required to guarantee that your implant integrates fully to your jaw bone. If the pain has not subsided or has gotten worse after 1-2 weeks following surgery, this is an indication that something is wrong. After 2 weeks, it is not common for a healthy implant to generate severe pain and discomfort. You should contact your dentist promptly to follow up and determine the source of the problem.
Learn finding a dental implant specialist.
Some of the Common Causes of Tooth Implant Pain
While teeth implants have a high success rate of roughly 95%, around 5% of instances fail shortly after surgery or even years later. Examine some of the reasons that can contribute to dental implant failure during the early and late stages.
Potential Causes of Dental Implant Failure in the Early Stage
Complications in the early stages are those that arise within the first 3 to 4 months following surgery. Bear in mind that teeth implants require at least many months to complete bone grafting, although you should experience no pain during the first 2 weeks of healing. Any recurrence of pain within the first few months following the treatment may indicate problems such as:
- Infection – Infection at the implant site is a typical early-stage problem that might result in tooth implant pain. Numerous risk factors for infection exist such as smoking, inflammatory illness, and poor dental hygiene.
- Inadequate Bone Support – In some situations, a patient’s bone structure may be insufficient to sustain a tooth implant. This hinders the implant from establishing a connection with the jawbone, resulting in an unsuccessful implant operation. This can also happen if an oral surgeon tries to finish the whole dental implant procedure in one sitting, including implant placement and permanent crown placement, and the patient lacks sufficient bone density to support the weight all at once.
- Allergy – The majority of dental implants are made of titanium alloy, which in certain persons might induce an allergic reaction. Typically, the allergic reaction manifests as a tingling or burning feeling at the implant site.
- Loose Screw – It is possible for the screw included within the dental implant to get dislodged during the healing process thus, causing discomfort.
- Damage to the nerves – Although it is unusual, nerve injury can happen during surgery. This can occur as a result of the dentist’s drill or as a result of the implant being placed too close to the nerve.
Long-Term Dental Implant Failure Risk Factors
Years after a successful implant surgery, a dental implant failure can still happen. Late failure risk factors can originate from the patient and his or her habits, procedural difficulties, or medical disorders.
- Smoking – Smokers with dental implants are far more likely to have difficulties over time. However, smoking is one of the most preventable risk factors for dental implant failure.
- Poor Oral Hygiene – To guarantee the success of your implants, it is critical to practice appropriate oral hygiene at all times. This includes brushing and flossing at least twice daily, using mouthwash to kill germs, and visiting your dentist for routine dental checkups.
- Grinding of teeth – Teeth grinding, particularly at night while the individual is sleeping, can exert enormous strain on implants and cause them to fail. It is frequently caused by factors such as stress, anxiety, or misaligned teeth.
If pain persists outside of the general 10-day healing period or you notice something unusual, you should immediately call your dentist so they can diagnose the source.
Sources:
- Devine M, Taylor S, Renton T. Chronic post-surgical pain following the placement of dental implants in the maxilla: A case series. Eur J Oral Implantol. 2016;9 Suppl 1(2):179-86. PMID: 27314126.
- Khouly I, Braun RS, Ordway M, Alrajhi M, Fatima S, Kiran B, Veitz-Keenan A. Post-operative pain management in dental implant surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Clin Oral Investig. 2021 May;25(5):2511-2536. doi: 10.1007/s00784-021-03859-y. Epub 2021 Apr 10. PMID: 33839939.
More about Finest Dentistry
