What does this mean?
Placing an implant is a surgical procedure: a socket is prepared in the bone and the gum is stitched. Pain, swelling and sometimes bruising are therefore normal over the first two or three days, and in most people they ease clearly from the fourth or fifth day.
The picture changes if the pain is not easing through the first week, or if it eases and then returns. That pattern can point to inflammation in the tissue around the implant, a high bite, an implant that is not bonding with the bone, or closeness to a nerve.
The character of the pain helps. A dull ache that appears when you chew is often about the crown or the gum above the implant. A sense of movement in the implant itself, a bad taste, discharge, or bleeding when the area is touched can be signs of infection and should not be left.
Four causes are common when pain continues after an implant, and the timing and what comes with it help separate them.
Likely causes
What helps at home?
- For the first day or two, hold a cold pack to that side of the face in spells of fifteen to twenty minutes
- Eat soft, lukewarm food and do not chew on the surgical area
- Do not poke the area with your tongue, finger or brush; follow the mouth care your dentist gave you
- Do not smoke; it slows healing
- A sense of movement in the implant or the crown on it
- Pus, a bad taste or a bad smell from the gum
- A fever, or swelling that spreads across the face
- Numbness of the lip, chin or tongue that continues after the anaesthetic should have worn off
Frequently asked questions
- How many days does pain last after an implant?
- Pain and swelling are expected over the first two or three days and in most people ease clearly towards the end of the first week. If pain continues beyond that or comes back, it should be examined.
- Is pain weeks after an implant normal?
- Mild tenderness can appear when the crown is fitted or the bite is adjusted, but pain that persists or grows is not normal. The cause ranges from a high bite to inflammation in the surrounding tissue, and an examination separates them.
- What does it mean if my implant feels loose?
- A loose crown or abutment screw is a common cause and is usually easy to put right. But an implant that has not bonded with the bone, or bone loss around it, can feel the same, so the feeling should be checked without delay.
This content is for general information and does not replace an in-person examination. Symptoms overlap between conditions, and a diagnosis can only be made clinically.