The dental implant procedure provides the best results for replacing missing or damaged teeth. However, many people often worry about the pain after a surgical dental procedure. If you are considering dental implants, you may want to know, ‘do dental implants hurt after the anaesthesia wears off?’ before getting implants.
Explore the dental implant procedure to better understand what type of pain you may experience after undergoing dental implant surgery at No Gaps Dental.
Understanding the Dental Implant Procedure
The entire process of getting dental implants takes a few months, but the dental implant procedure is the part that causes the most concern about pain. Understanding the implantation procedure can help alleviate anxiety surrounding this restoration technique.
To begin the dental implant procedure, your dentist uses a local anaesthetic on your gums at the implant site. This helps reduce any pain you may feel as they perform the surgery. If you experience severe dental anxiety, No Gaps Dental also offers IV sedation to help you relax during your surgery.
After your mouth is numb, your dentist makes an incision in your gum to reach the jawbone. Then they drill a small hole just wide and deep enough to place the titanium dental implant post. They insert the dental implant into your jawbone and suture the site. This completes the surgical step in the dental implant process, after which you must give your jaw time to heal and fuse with the dental implant post.
What to Expect After a Dental Implant Procedure
After the dental implant procedure, typical symptoms include mild discomfort around the surgery site, minor bleeding, swelling, and bruising. Symptoms should start to resolve around day three after the surgery and should mostly be gone by day ten.
Do Dental Implants Hurt After Surgery?
The answer to ‘do dental implants hurt after surgery’ is that you may feel some mild discomfort post-surgery as your gums heal. However, research indicates that dental implant pain is less intense than a tooth extraction. This is excellent news, especially for those who experience dental anxiety.
There are many ways to manage dental implant pain, including over-the-counter medication, rest, ice packs, saltwater rinse, soft food, and excellent oral hygiene.
Rest and reduce strenuous activity
For the first few days post-surgery, get plenty of rest. Lay in bed with your head elevated on a pillow to help minimise swelling. After two or three days, you can resume light activity.
Avoid anything that causes extra pressure on your head, such as bending over or lifting something heavy. Wait to resume strenuous activity until 10-14 days after getting your dental implants.
Use ice and heat
To minimise and reduce swelling and manage dental implant pain for the first 12-24 hours, apply an ice pack to your cheek for 20 minutes, followed by 20 minutes off, and repeat. After 24 hours, use a moist heating pad to help reduce the swelling.
Take OTC medications
Over-the-counter medication can help manage dental implant pain and inflammation. Ask your dentist what options they recommend for post-implantation pain.
Eat a soft food diet
Eat a soft food diet for the first two weeks, and avoid chewing directly on your dental implants. Avoid anything crunchy, hard, sticky, or very hot. Frozen or cold food can help soothe vulnerable gum tissue at the surgical site and reduce swelling.
During this time, focus on soft foods that support healing. This food includes adequate protein, healthy carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fluids. Dairy products provide protein and minerals that are great for healing bone. Eggs, beans, poultry, and meat provide protein and zinc. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains provide carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
Try to eat as many colours of plants as possible each day, and avoid foods with added sugar. Drink plenty of fluids, particularly water.
Rinse with a saltwater solution
Rinsing with a saltwater solution provides many benefits after getting dental implants. It reduces swelling, increases blood flow, and has a slight antibiotic effect. These actions minimise dental implant pain and help the healing process.
Making a saltwater solution is easy and cost-effective. Bring 8 ounces of water to a rolling boil and turn off the heat. When the water is warm, dissolve ½ to 2 teaspoons of salt and one teaspoon of baking soda in an 8-ounce glass.
Gently swish it around your mouth, gargle, and let the water fall out of your mouth. Do not spit because this can cause the wound to bleed. Be careful not to swallow. Repeat this procedure until you use the entire glass.
For the first two days after getting your dental implants, use the solution every two hours, up to eight times per day. After two days, use it after every meal and snack, up to four times a day, until the inflammation subsides.
Maintain good oral hygiene
Good oral hygiene reduces the risk of infection. Ensure you wash your hands with soap and water or use a hand sanitiser before flossing. Soften the bristles of your toothbrush by running them under hot water and brush areas near the dental implants very gently the first few days. Use your saltwater rinse as directed.
Risks of Dental Implants
The dental implant procedure carries some risks, such as bleeding, infection, allergic reactions, peri-implantitis, injury to adjacent teeth, and nerve damage.
Peri-implantitis
This inflammatory condition attacks the bone that has grown around the implant, leading to bone loss. If not caught and addressed early, this condition can result in dental implant failure. Experts have linked microorganisms living under the gum to peri-implantitis and have a few options for treatment.
Injury to an adjacent tooth
Injuries to adjacent teeth can happen if the post goes in at the wrong angle. Treatment options depend on the location and severity of the damage.
Nerve damage
Although rare, nerve damage can occur when your dentist inserts the titanium post. This complication occurs when a nerve is too close to the implant site or if the screw goes in at the wrong angle. Nerve damage can present with tingling or numbness in the tongue, cheek, or lip.
If you experience any of the following, contact your dentist immediately:
- Prolonged throbbing pain
- Fever
- Vomiting or nausea
- Increased swelling
- Continued excessive bleeding a few hours after surgery
- Pain that lasts more than two weeks
Are Dental Implants Right for You?
Wondering how much do dental implants hurt after surgery can hold you back from getting dental implant treatment that can restore your smile and renew your confidence. Understanding the possible discomfort or pain you may feel after dental implant surgery can help you prepare for the dental implant procedure and learn how to minimise post-surgical pain.
Reach out to the team at No Gaps Dental through our online form or by calling us on (02) 8806 0227 to book an initial consultation for dental implants. We are happy to answer your questions about the dental implant procedure and set you up with an appointment for an evaluation.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
References
Pain Experience after Dental Implant Placement Compared to Tooth Extraction
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8424234/
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
Eating Well for Wound Healing
https://www.nih.org/documents/Wound-Healing_Nutrition-2021.pdf
Risks and complications associated with dental implant failure: Critical update
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7518499/