Feeling nervous about your dental implant surgery? That’s okay – many patients worry that getting dental implants in Conway will be painful. Your dentist will be anchoring titanium posts to your jawbone, after all, and that doesn’t exactly sound comfortable!
Fortunately, the process isn’t as painful as you might think. With help from your implant dentist and some post-op tips, you can feel at ease during your treatment.
How Implant Dentists Help Make Surgery Comfortable
Rest assured, patient comfort is very much a priority for your implant dentist in Conway. They want you to have a positive treatment experience, and will take steps to help make sure you don’t feel outright pain during your surgery. Administering a local anesthetic will be the very first thing they do! Thanks to the effective numbing properties of modern anesthetics and the fact that the jawbone has very few nerves, most patients only experience mild pressure.
If you are afraid of the dentist, experience anxiety, or have another condition that makes dental treatments unpleasant for you, your implant dentist can also provide dental sedation. Options like nitrous oxide not only help dull uncomfortable sensations, but also help patients feel more relaxed and at ease.
Managing Post-Op Discomfort from Home
Your implant dentist will be able to provide prompt assistance during your surgery, but after the anesthetic wears off, you might need pain management solutions that are a bit “closer to home.” These tips can help you with post-op discomfort:
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers as needed
- Ibuprofen can be especially helpful, as it reduces inflammation
- Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling and numb sore areas
- Continue to brush and floss, but do so gently
- Rinse your mouth with a salt water mixture to promote healing
- Stick to a soft food diet
Most patients feel better after the first week and can resume their normal routines by the second. Give your mouth plenty of time to recover, and you’ll be right as rain in no time!
When to Contact Your Implant Dentist
Though some discomfort after implant surgery is normal, you should contact your dentist immediately if you experience severe or prolonged pain. You can also give them a call if you have questions about aftercare or are concerned about an abnormal symptom. Trust them to take good care of you, and you’ll have a positive dental implant treatment!
About the Author
Dr. Tommy Murph has over 25 years of experience in dentistry and has completed advanced training courses in Trinon Dental Implants and orthodontics. This enables him to complete the entire dental implant process in-house so that his patients don’t have to worry about securing a referral. In other words, Dr. Murph is well-qualified to help you feel comfortable during your dental implant surgery! To contact his office and schedule an appointment, call 843-488-4357.