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You swear that your dental implant is more sensitive than usual. But since it’s a false tooth with no nerves, hot and cold sensations shouldn’t bother it, right? Your logic is sound – and so are your oral pain receptors! Even though dental implants are inorganic, there are several legitimate reasons you might experience discomfort in its vicinity. Keep reading to find out why false teeth can be tender.
Your Implant’s Neighbors Still Have Nerves
Biology is incredible in a beautifully (and sometimes frustratingly) complex way. For example, nerve endings send pain signals along an intricate network to tell the brain that something’s wrong. For all this sophistication, however, those signals aren’t always precise. If your dental implant feels sore, it’s probably not the implant talking, but surrounding oral tissue, gums, natural teeth, or even your jawbone.
Potential Root Causes
There are several reasons why your implant’s neighbors might be trying to communicate, such as:
- An infection is wreaking havoc. Bacteria accumulation can cause oral infections, which will attack your various soft tissues and dental supports until treated.
- Tooth decay is affecting a nearby tooth. If cavities are eating through your natural enamel and there’s a dental implant in the vicinity of decay, it can feel like your implant is the one experiencing problems.
- Something’s stuck between your pearly whites. Trapped food particles and foreign debris can exert pressure on your teeth and gums, resulting in a tender area.
- Dental implant failure. While extremely uncommon, sensitivity near your dental implant could indicate that it’s failing. Your jawbone could be having trouble properly supporting it, or another issue could be causing it to slip out of position.
Most of these possibilities are considered dental emergencies, so unless you find out the culprit was a popcorn kernel all along, call your dentist right away!
How Your Emergency Dentist Can Help
Your dentist will do their best to see you as soon as possible for diagnosis and treatment. Many have same-day and weekend emergency appointments available for just such a situation. No matter what the cause of your sensitivity is, they’ll keep you informed about their findings and lay out your options for treatment. Helping patients with mysterious dental problems is what dentists do best, so don’t hesitate to call about concerning symptoms like dental implant tenderness!
About the Practice
Dr. Hamid Ranjbaran (“Dr. R”) and Dr. Jesse Johnson come together to provide quality dental services for patients in Rio Rancho and the surrounding area. Dental implants are one of Dr. R’s specialties; if you’re concerned about your implant’s sensitivity, he’ll put his advanced training to use as he helps restore your comfort. To contact Dr. R and Dr. Johnson’s office, call 505-896-9399.