Imagine: You’re sitting at your favorite restaurant in Spokane Valley. You bit down on a hard cracker, and OUCH! You feel a sharp pain in your tooth, and immediately you know that it’s your dental implant. Thoughts race through your head… but my implant dentist said my implant would act just like my regular tooth; why does it hurt? Do I have an infection? Why is it hurting four years after getting it? Will I lose my implant? What can I do? Should I wait to see if it gets better on its own?
A little anxiety over a painful dental implant is reasonable. Still, you can rest easy knowing that your Spokane Valley, WA, implant dentist is here to help you get back to your routine without dental implant pain.
Peri-Implantitis
Peri-Implantitis is an infection on your gum line that surrounds your implant. When this type of infection surrounds your natural teeth, we call it gum disease or periodontal disease. It acts in the same way. Bacteria builds on your gums, causing inflammation that allows the bacteria into your bloodstream and eventually into your bone. Likely, you won’t notice the symptoms of peri-implantitis at first, but if you know what to look for, you can head peri-implantitis off in its early stages.
- Pain at the site of the dental implant
- A bad taste in your mouth
- Bad breath
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Bleeding gums
- A slight movement in your implant
There isn’t a way to tell precisely where your peri-implantitis originated. It could be from excess cement during the procedure (common with dental treatments in Mexico) or poor oral hygiene. The bottom line is if you begin to notice any of the signs of peri-implantitis, contact your cosmetic dentist in Spokane Valley for treatment. Usually, antibiotics or removal of the infected tissues can treat it. In many cases, you can keep your dental implant or get a new one placed once your mouth heals.
Off-Kilter Bite
Another reason why your dental implant might hurt is that it’s throwing off your bite. If the crown placed atop your dental implant is too large, it could irritate the bone around your dental implant when your chew. In this case, you’ll feel pain when you’re chewing, and it’s likely been a building pain over time.
Treatment for a painful implant due to an unbalanced bite is vital because, without treatment, you could end up injuring your jaw joint and develop TMJ. Treatment for this is easy, just visit your Spokane Valley dentist and get your crown replaced with a better fit.
Damaged Neighboring Teeth
In rare instances, your implant damages neighboring teeth and causes pain. Your implant should sit right between your other teeth without crowding them. If there is crowding, your implant won’t move as your other teeth can, so you’ll feel the pain of shifting teeth and pressure on your implant.
Your implant dentist may have to remove the damaged tooth and replace your implant to remedy this situation. Be sure to choose an experienced Spokane Valley cosmetic dentist like doctors Ken and Marnie Collins to fix and avoid future problems.
Best Dentists in Spokane Valley
If you’re looking to get your painful dental implant treated, doctors Ken and Marnie Collins have the experience and knowledge to remove your pain and return your mouth to a healthy state. Likewise, if you need a tooth replacement or replace your missing teeth, you’ll find the doctors at Collins Dentistry and Aesthetics will give you the best chance of dental implant success. When choosing your Spokane Valley dentist, be sure to check out reviews and schedule a consultation by calling (509) 927-2273 or making an appointment online.
