Understanding Dental Implant Side Effects
Adult tooth loss can make individuals shy away from smiling, and also turn eating into a painful and/or uncomfortable process. Dental implants provide a natural feeling option for permanently replacing missing teeth, restoring the smile, and improving dental function.
Dental implant surgery is a fairly minor surgical procedure but when considering dental implant surgery, it's important to understand that there are some side effects that may occur after treatment. At The Smile Center, Dr. Scott Parr and Dr. Tara Frey explain the possible dental implant side effects to patients in Virginia Beach, VA.
What Side Effects Should Be Expected?
As with any oral surgery, patients should expect some side effects after dental implant procedure. Side effects are a normal part of healing and recovery and should not be confused with complications, which are unanticipated outcomes.
For our Virginia Beach patients, side effects from dental implant surgery are typically mild and temporary. Let's take a closer look at the possible side effects of dental implant surgery.
Pain or Discomfort
During dental implant surgery, an incision is made in the gums and a screw-like, titanium post is inserted into the jawbone. Patients are medicated to keep them comfortable during surgery, but may feel some pain and discomfort as the pain medications wear off, and in the first few days following surgery.
For most patients, pain can be managed with pain medications, either prescribed or an approved over-the-counter medication.
Swelling
Swelling is one of the body's natural responses to injury and happens because there is an increase in white blood cells and fluid to injured areas. Swelling helps the body heal and is common after dental implant surgery.
Dental implant patients may experience some swelling of the gums at the incision site. The cheeks and side of the face may also appear swollen following dental implant surgery. Applying an ice pack to the check and jawline periodically during the first couple days of recovery can help reduce swelling and ease discomfort.
Bleeding
Some bleeding at the dental implant site should be expected after surgery. Gauze is frequently placed over the implant site for the first few hours after surgery. Although steady bleeding should stop within a few hours of surgery, patients may experience some mild bleeding for several days after surgery.
Bruising
Although not all of our Virginia Beach patients will experience bruising, some will notice bruising on the side of the face near the implant site.
Bruising may not show up immediately after surgery but instead may take a couple of days to appear. If bruising occurs, it generally fades within a week or two after surgery and as the body heals.
Schedule a Consultation
Dental implants can help restore your smile and improve dental function. For more information about dental implant side effects or to find out if dental implants are right for you, we welcome you to call (757) 473-8482 or send our office a message to schedule a consultation at The Smile Center.