Dental implants bestow many advantages on the patient including better functionality and improved aesthetic appeal. Medically, they are a great way to treat missing teeth. At times though, the patient may experience pain, pressure, and throbbing. This discomfort may suppress the overall benefits of the treatment. But dental implants Los Angeles clinics highlight that such pain can be normal and part of the healing process. Only if it fails to settle will it be a cause of concern. Let’s understand dental implant pain and how one can stop the dental implant from being uncomfortable.
Understanding Dental Implant Pain
The dental implant procedure is typically performed under sedation. This manages the onset of pain during treatment. But as the effect of sedation wanes away, one can expect some throbbing, swelling, bruising, and tenderness. It generally takes up to two weeks post-procedure to get used to the new addition. This is not to say that one has to bear that pain for this period. There are handy remedies available.
How To Stop Throbbing After Dental Implants?
It is normal to experience pain during the initial phase after surgery. The best ways to manage throbbing during this period include:
Apply Ice Pack
Placing an ice pack on the implant site will help reduce inflammation and pain. This will provide relief from mild throbbing and discomfort and reduce swelling. Ice packs can be placed multiple times a day for 15-20 minutes at a time.
Use Pain Relievers
Use of the over-the-counter medications is extremely helpful in providing relief from dental throbbing. After undergoing dental implants in Los Angeles, the leading dental clinics prescribe a medication routine to manage the pain effectively.
Rest With Head Elevated
Resting with the head elevated relieves pressure on the implant site. Use a pillow or sleep in a sitting position. This can help you safely manage the initial days after surgery.
Eat Soft Foods
The initial days when the wound is in its healing stage are the most crucial in time in terms of food choices one makes. It is important to avoid any kind of pressure on the implant site. Stick to soft foods that are either mashed or in liquid forms. Avoid biting and chewing in the initial few days.
Follow Good Health Habits
Following good, healthy habits is of paramount importance. Apart from practicing good oral habits like brushing, and flossing regularly, one must refrain from smoking and drinking as they impair the body’s self-healing abilities.
When To Visit Your Dentist?
If one continues to experience pain beyond the two-week healing period, Los Angeles dental implants clinics highlight that it can be a sign of malfunction or implant failure. Get in touch with your doctor to figure out the cause of the throbbing.
Causes Of Throbbing Pain After Dental Implants
Several reasons can cause the dental implant to malfunction, leading to pain and discomfort. The most common ones are:
Implant Overload
This is usually seen in cases when a single dental implant supports a dental prosthesis. If the full arch or partial arch procedure is not adequately supported with several spread-apart implants, it can lead to pain in the jawbone. Overloading of the implant can also happen if the patient bites too hard on the implant. An immediate rectification of an overloading dental implant is important or else it will lose its grip in the jawbone and eventually fall out.
Suture Failure
After the dental root is placed in the jawbone, the incision is closed with dissolvable sutures. These dissolve over several weeks. But there can be cases where the sutures break out before complete recovery. This leaves the wound open again, leading to throbbing and bleeding. The dentist will re-suture the wound to close the incision.
Bite Misalignment
If the dental implant is not placed correctly, it will put pressure on the gum and adjacent teeth. One will experience tightness in the jaw, difficulty chewing, and bite misalignment. The dentist will closely evaluate the cause of misalignment and provide corrective treatment.
Infection
Bacterial infection after dental implant surgery cannot be ruled out. Also leads to peri-implantitis wherein the gums and bone around the dental implant get inflamed. Also, poor oral hygiene can cause the oral bacteria to multiply and thrive. Such cases are generally treated with antibiotics.
Final Thoughts
Dental implants, though a pretty useful and effective restorative treatment, may bring in its wake some degree of pain and discomfort until the patient’s body accepts the new addition as natural teeth. This pain or throbbing can spoil the fun. The silver lining though is that it can be managed. The pain during the initial phase is normal and one should not fret about it. Easy home remedies and post-procedure management provide effective relief. However, if the pain fails to ease beyond the recovery phase, it’s advisable to consult your dentist.
At the Personal Dental Office, one of the leading dental implant clinics in Los Angeles, the dentists carefully assess each patient’s medical condition and healing abilities to roll out a customized post-procedure recuperating plan. By carefully following the listed do’s and don’ts, the patient can hope for an absolute trouble-free experience. Book your consultation today for a pain-free dental implant experience.