Dental Implant Pain

There are various reasons which lead to losing teeth. Tooth decay, gum diseases like gingivitis, injuries are some common causes of missing teeth. A single missing tooth can make life miserable for you. 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 a missing tooth, 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 in detail the various causes of dental implant procedure pain. However, before that, it would be wise to study the procedure in detail.

Dental Implant Surgery

Dental implant surgery 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. This 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 bone etc. may occur. However, these cases are very rare. Pain is something which most people experience after the surgery. The surgery itself 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.

Causes of Pain

When you report persistent pain following a dental implant surgery, your doctor will most likely go through the details of the procedure once again to diagnose a possible problem. Given below are the various possible causes that your dentist may discount one by one.

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

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

Managing Pain

After diagnosing the cause of dental implant surgery 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 patient. Analgesics can only be used to control the pain for a very short duration. If the pain is due to inter-bony pressure built up, 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.