The actual process of getting a dental implant isn't painful because you will be under the influence of anesthesia. However, you should expect some pain after the procedure is done, and the anesthesia's effect wears off. Below is an overview of what to expect with the pain.

Causes of the Pain

The main causes of dental pain include:

• Tissue bruising – getting a dental implant is an invasive surgery. Some of your gum tissues will be bruised, and don't forget that the dentist has to drill into your jawbone. This tissue bruising causes pain, which may last until you heal.
• Swelling – this may also occur around the implant and the surrounding areas. Swelling is why you may feel pain beyond the implant site and on areas whose tissues haven't been bruised by the implant process. For example, your cheek, chin and even the areas under your eyes may swell; it depends on where your implant is located.

Factors Affecting the Level of Pain

People experience different levels of pain after getting dental implants. The intensity of pain you feel depends on these factors:

• Nature of the surgery – an implant can either be a straightforward or a complicated surgery. If you have adequate jawbone structure and the only thing missing is the tooth, then you get a simple surgery. If your tissues are damaged, and you don't have adequate jawbone mass, then you may need additional surgery, such as bone grafting. The more complicated your implant process is, the more pain you are likely to feel.
• Complications – more complications result in more pain. Potential complications include infections, nerve damage, and injury to surrounding tissues.
• Healing duration – the faster your wound heals, the quicker your pain will go away. Healing is a factor of different things, such as the strength of your immune system and the level of care you give your wound.

 Coping Mechanisms

There are different measures you can take to deal with dental implant pain, and they include these three:

• Taking painkillers – over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers may work, but your dentist may also prescribe stronger drugs if your pain is unbearable, and the OTC drugs don't work.
• Dealing with the swelling – a good method is to place an icepack, on the outside of your cheek, to cool down the area.
• Eating soft foods – avoid hard foods as your implant heals so that you don't irritate it unnecessarily.

The ultimate way to deal with dental implant pain is to hasten the healing. A good method of doing this is to follow your dentist's post-operative care instructions to the letter.

Your dentist will schedule a follow-up appointment to check the healing progress. However, you don't have to wait until your appointment if you develop a complication or the pain intensifies. Contact a dentist like Dr. Paul Goodman anytime something out of the ordinary happens; for example, if your pain doesn't subside after the duration suggested by the dentist.