Will I Experience Pain After a Dental Implant?

Despite recent innovations in dentistry, tooth loss remains a significant problem among millions globally. Mainly, tooth loss results from severe tooth decay, oral injuries, and gum disease. Unfortunately, tooth loss comes with further problems.

For instance, it can cause a poor bite, jawbone deterioration, misalignments, and an unattractive smile. That’s why your dentist will always advise you to replace missing teeth as soon as possible.

Dental implants are the closest you can get to a natural tooth in terms of stability, bite function, strength, and appearance when considering tooth replacement treatments. Let’s learn more about dental implants and what to expect.

How are Dental Implants Placed?

A dental implant consists of a small titanium post that acts like tooth roots. When placing the implant, our dentist in Northeast Calgary, AB, will begin by providing local anesthetic (numbing) to prevent pain during the surgery.

Next, they create a space in the jaw bone and place the implant post. The bone should heal around the implant post, making it a permanent part of your mouth. This process is known as osseointegration, which takes about 3 to 6 months, sometimes longer.

After the bone has healed, you’ll return in approximately 3 to 6 months time, at which point the dentist will place a healing abutment and crown over the implant, which is the part that looks and acts like an artificial tooth.

Is it Painful?

You shouldn’t feel any pain during the procedure because of the local anesthetic. After the anesthesia wears off, you might experience minor discomfort, soreness, bleeding, or swelling around the implant.

Fortunately, the dentist or surgeon will prescribe medication to manage these symptoms which should fade away in a few days. Contact your surgeon or dentist if your symptoms worsen or persist beyond normal.

Tips to reduce and prevent pain after implant surgery include:

• Take medication as prescribed by your provider.
• Use ice therapy near the implant.
• Eat a soft food diet. Avoid hot, hard, crunchy, chewy, and spicy foods.
• Rest adequately. Strenuous activities can cause significant pressure at the surgical site, causing unnecessary pain. Be sure to keep your head elevated.
• Follow your dentist’s instructions about brushing and flossing.
• Hydrate adequately.

Why You Should Consider Getting Dental Implants

There are many incredible benefits of replacing lost teeth with dental implants, including:

• They look and feel like your real teeth.

One of the key benefits of implants over bridges and dentures is that they provide a natural tooth’s stability, function, appearance, and feeling. The implant post acts like your natural tooth’s roots, while the outer crown acts like the visible part of your tooth. It’s typically impossible to distinguish it from a natural tooth.

• They improve your bite function.

Like a natural tooth, a dental implant has roots fused to your jawbone and crown (artificial tooth). You can enjoy your favorite foods the way you did before losing your natural tooth. Bridges and dentures offer less bite function than implants.

• They improve your appearance.

Losing a front tooth can make you feel unattractive and self-conscious about smiling. Similarly, missing teeth can cause your facial muscles to collapse, resulting in premature aging, wrinkles, and facial sagging. A tooth implant mimics your real tooth, giving you a natural, brighter, healthier smile.

• While no tooth replacement option is ever guaranteed, they can last for a lifetime.

Dental implants contain strong and long-lasting materials such as titanium and porcelain. With proper oral care and habits, an implant can last for a lifetime, eliminating the hassles of regular replacements.

• They are easy to maintain.

Since an implant looks and works like a real tooth, you don’t need special oral techniques or products to care for them. You simply care for it like a natural tooth.

• They prevent bone loss.

Having a tooth gap increases your risk of jawbone deterioration. Due to a lack of chewing stimulation, the underlying jawbone tends to weaken over time. You can lose about 25% of your jawbone volume in a year. Jawbone loss further causes your facial muscles to collapse, affecting your smile. Getting a dental implant restores your bite function, stimulating bone growth.

• They prevent tooth misalignments.

A tooth gap can cause the adjacent teeth to shift towards the gap, eventually leading to misalignments. It can bring additional problems such as impaired speech, increased risk of plaque build-up, and too much pressure on the nearby teeth, causing wear and tear.

Schedule an Appointment Today

Are you interested in dental implants in Calgary, AB? Contact Sunridge Dental Clinic to book an appointment with our dentist near you.