Dental implants are a highly successful tooth replacement option. But patients often have many questions surrounding dental implant surgery, including how long dental implant pain lasts. It’s good to be informed about every aspect of your treatment and aftercare to ensure you are healing properly.
Regardless of where your dental implant is placed, there are a few key aspects you need to know about normal dental implant pain.
Discomfort Is Normal After the Initial Implant Placement
Immediately following your dental implant placement, you likely won’t feel any pain, as your mouth will still be numb from the anesthetic administered during treatment. However, the anesthetic begins wearing off a few hours later, and you may feel discomfort. This is normal for most surgical procedures. It’s not uncommon to feel some minor throbbing around your dental implant as well.
You may notice some bruising, swelling, and inflammation, and bleeding is common within the first 48 hours. Always follow the post-operative instructions provided by your periodontist, including filling any prescriptions and modifying your diet, to ensure your mouth begins healing properly.
For most patients, the discomfort from implant surgery typically peaks in the first 24-48 hours and begins fading quickly.
Dental Implant Pain Lessens Within a Week
After approximately three days, the discomfort should begin dissipating. The area may have some residual swelling, bruising, and inflammation, but these effects will also slowly fade.
Within a week, your mouth should feel less tender, and you should be able to brush around the area without much discomfort. By this time, there should also not be any bleeding.
Dental Implant Pain Should Not Last More than Two Weeks
With a simple implant surgery, by your second week post-surgery, your implant site should be completely healed. However, it takes another 3-6 months for the implant to completely fuse with your jawbone. If you experience any discomfort, it may be some tenderness or pressure.
But there should not be any noticeable pain or bleeding after two weeks post-procedure. Some patients still have some slight bruising and swelling at this time.
If you continue feeling pain around your implant site after two weeks, it’s important that you contact your periodontist for a follow-up examination to determine the cause of the continued pain.
Your implant may have been improperly placed, or the site has become infected. Sometimes the implant fails to begin integrating with the bone due to forces placed on the implant. Getting prompt additional treatment for these issues can help ensure your dental implant placement is successful and protect your oral health.
Tips to Help with Dental Implant Recovery
After any surgical procedure, following your periodontist’s directions for aftercare is crucial. When you follow post-operative instructions closely, you can recover more quickly and with less dental implant pain. Some tips to help you better manage your dental implant recovery include:
- Use a cold compress to relieve swelling and inflammation
- Take prescription and over-the-counter medication for pain management
- Stop all tobacco use1
- Avoid strenuous exercise
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Stick to a soft diet for the first few weeks
- Listen to your body and rest
When you properly care for your newly placed dental implant, you’ll reduce your risk of pain and discomfort.
Is Dental Implant Surgery Right for You?
Many Americans get dental implants yearly and have much success with their tooth replacement. However, it’s essential to listen to your periodontist for your dental implant to be successful. Closely following any post-treatment instructions will help you avoid complications and ensure the best possible outcome for your tooth replacement.
If you are interested in dental implants, the skilled team at Dental Implants & Periodontal Health of Rochester can help you decide whether this treatment is right for you. We take pride in providing personalized care beyond your expectations. Call us today to schedule your consultation. 585-685-2005
Sources:
[1] https://jada.ada.org/article/S0002-8177(14)62322-9/fulltext
