07 April 2014
How Painful Are Implants And Are They Really As Good As People Say?
Surgeries, like the one done in the placement of dental implants can involve some level of pain. But because this kind of surgery is not that complicated (it is also not a minor operation), the pain that can be expected is also minimal. There are many more dental surgical procedures that are much painful than the attachment of implants. Dental implants can give you better looking, more functional, and stronger teeth compared to typical dentures and other known solutions to common teeth problems. If there is any pain involved at all, enduring it is worth it.
Is There Pain During Surgery?
During surgery, implant placement would not cause any pain at all because patients are given local or general anesthesia depending on the nature of the surgery. Your mouth will be completely numb as holes are drilled to the jawbone for the implants.
Pain after the procedure
There may be pain or some level of discomfort after the implant is placed in your mouth. This severity of the discomfort often depends on where the implant is placed. You can expect soreness to the area where the implant is drilled in and the immediate area of the jawbone where it is anchored. The pain after the surgery can last up to a week. Even though pain and discomfort is expected, you need to be very observant on how the implant feels in your mouth. When discomfort progresses, this can mean some implant issues. Going to your dentist immediately is very important.
On some cases pain from the implant surgery can extend out to the cheeks and chin and sometimes even under the eyes. The complication of the implant placement procedure has direct bearing to the pain felt after the surgery. The more complicated the procedure (bone grafting, surgery in the sinuses) the more pain you can expect after the surgery as the anesthesia wears off.
Other things you can expect is bruising and bleeding. This should get better just a few days after the surgery. Pain and discomfort is normal. But if it extends up to two weeks then there is something wrong. That should prompt a visit to your dentist.
What to do with the pain
Your dentists can give you prescription for the pain. There are also many over the counter pain relievers that should do the job. It is common for discomfort to be more pronounced on the first 2 days after surgery. You can try putting ice pack over where the implant is placed. This can control the swelling and should alleviate pain.
Recovery time can differ from one person to the next. Resting can do a lot as this can initiate the healing process. There are many side effects to dental implants and most of these are temporary. If you are not too sure about the side effects you are feeling at any moment after the surgery you can easily call your dentist and ask them about it. Dental implant surgeries have an overall success rate of 98%. That should make every ounce of discomfort worth it.
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