Dental Implant Pain

There are various reasons, which lead to the loss of your strong, original teeth. Tooth decay, gum diseases like gingivitis, injuries, etc., are some common causes of missing teeth. A single missing tooth can make life miserable. Not only does it hinder your physical appearance, but it may also make eating and speaking difficult for you.

More so, if you happen to lose any of the frontal teeth, there are various ways of replacing them, from dentures and crowns to prosthetics. Most of these techniques only address the issue superficially, without going into the root of the problem (quite literally!).

As a result, these techniques do not give you the comfort and appearance of a natural tooth. Dental implant, on the other hand, is a procedure, which fits a metal replacement for the root of the tooth. As a result, you get a more natural looking and feeling tooth.

Pain after a dental implant is very common, and mostly does not warrant immediate attention. However, in some cases, it may indicate an onset of a complication. Let us understand, the various causes of pain experienced after the dental implant procedure. However, before that, it would be wise to study the procedure in detail.

It involves fitting a metal screw in your jawbone. This metal screw acts as an anchor for your permanent or removable false teeth. The metal screw fuses together with your jawbone (mandible or maxilla), thereby creating a strong foundation for your prosthetics.

Most people with good physical and dental health, are candidates for this surgery. The surgery has a success rate of about 98%. Dental implants cost is covered by a dental insurance. In rare cases, rejection of the implant may occur.

Sometimes, complications such as infection, fracture of the bone etc., may occur. However, these cases are very rare. Pain is something, which most people experience after the surgery. The surgical procedure is painless due to anesthesia. After that, the person experiences slight pain and discomfort.

However, the pain should subside within 2 to 3 days. Your dentist may prescribe you some antibiotic and analgesic medications for pain relief. If the pain becomes excruciating, you should see your dentist immediately.

When you report persistent pain following the surgery, your doctor will most likely go through the details of the procedure once again to diagnose a possible problem.

Given here are the various possible causes that your dentist may identify one by one.

• Dental injury
• Untreated infection
• Bone infection
• Aberrant nerve
• Use of incorrect technique while screwing the implant into the bone

Too much of compression while screwing results in pressure buildup due to inflammatory response from the body, causing damage to ID Nerve (this is quite possible if the implant has been fitted in mandible).

After diagnosing the cause of pain, your dentist should be in a position to prescribe appropriate medications. The cause and extent of pain varies from patient to patient, hence the pain medications also differ for each one. Analgesics can only be used to control the pain for a very short duration.

If the pain is due to inter-bony pressure buildup, then removing the implant is the only way out. It takes at least a week for the pressure to release completely from the bones. After a week, the implant can be fitted in the same position.

In cases where the implant is rejected by the body, your dentist will often fit another implant, this time a bigger one. Most dentists fit the second implant at no extra charge. The pain should subside within 3 to 5 days.

Dental implant surgery has many advantages. The complications such as pain arising after surgery should not deter you from seeking this treatment option. These conditions can be easily taken care of with corrective measures.