For the most part, dental implant surgery, and the period after surgery, involves little pain. This is because you will receive an anesthetic to dull any sensation before the surgery begins. As your dental implants heal, however, you may feel some discomfort, especially when you try to eat or drink.

In time, post-surgery pain will subside. But during the healing period, you can reduce the pain in the following ways.

1. Eat soft and cold foods

For at least the first two weeks, which is when most healing will occur, avoid hard and hot foods, as these will irritate the healing surgical site. Instead, eat soft, cold foods like ice cream and soup. Some cold foods, such as ice cream, will even help to relieve pain.

And while eating any type of food, try not to chew with your healing dental implants. Chew on the opposite side to avoid pain and avoid disturbing the healing dental implant.

2. Sleep and lie down with your head elevated

When you lie down or go to sleep, don't lie flat on your back or on your side, at least until the implant sites have healed. Elevate your head by lying on some pillows. By keeping your head elevated, you reduce the blood circulation to your gums. This will reduce the pain and speed up the healing process.

3. Keep physical exertion to a minimum

Physical exertion increases blood circulation, which in turn puts more pressure on your healing implants. For the first two weeks, avoid physical exertion. If you do need to exert yourself, take it slowly, and gradually increase the frequency and duration over the two-week period. If you overexert yourself, you'll suffer pain, throbbing, and bleeding, which will then increase your healing time.

4. Use ice packs

Ice packs are a great way to reduce the pain of tooth extraction or dental implant surgery. Keep a steady supply of ice packs available and use them whenever you are in pain or you notice significant swelling. Ice packs reduce swelling, which in turn reduces the pain.

5. Take pain medication

If you are suffering a lot of pain following your dental implant surgery, then take some pain medication, such as ibuprofen. Pain medication will reduce both the pain and the swelling around your healing implants.

You shouldn't feel much pain after implant surgery. But if you do, use one or more of these pain-reduction methods to make the healing phase a little more comfortable.

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