What Do Dental Implants Feel Like?

26 March 2020
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

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Dental implants are one of those things that you can't fully experience until you get them for yourself. But that doesn't mean that you can't get a general idea of what to expect. If you've been curious about dental implants but have put off asking about them or seriously pursuing them because you're not sure how they will feel, then read on to get a good idea of what you can expect.

Immediately After the Procedure

When you have your implants inserted initially, you may experience some slight soreness or irritation in the area around them. That's because your gums have just been operated on and need some time to recover. However, rest assured that your dentist will provide you with pain medication to ensure that you're not experiencing any serious discomfort or pain.

After Fully Healing

Once your dental implants have fully healed, they're unlikely to feel like much of anything. You'll have a small visible nub above the surface of the gums that indicates where the implant is, and it may feel a little odd when you brush it with a toothbrush since there's no sensation in the implant. However, beyond that, you're unlikely to even notice that you have dental implants in the short-term.

After the Crown Is Mounted

Once the gums have fully healed around the top of the implant and your jaw bone has merged with the implant, you'll be ready to have a crown mounted on top. This is where the fun begins.

Once the crown is on top of your implant, you may be surprised at how much it feels like a real tooth. This is because when you bite down, pressure moves through the crown, down into the implant, and finally all the way down into the jaw bone. Why would this feel real? It's because this is exactly how a real tooth works.

Your real teeth go far deeper than the surface of your gums. They also transfer pressure into the jaw bone, which stimulates it to grow new bone cells. This same process happens when you bite down and chew on a dental implant, and you'll be able to feel it. This makes dental implants feel far more real than one could expect from something like dentures or a dental bridge.

Dental implants are a very realistic-feeling form of tooth replacement. If you've been hesitating because you've been worried that the implant will feel noticeably fake, don't worry about it. You'll be surprised at how good it feels.