numbness after dental implant lower jaw

[mhepo]

I received 2 implants in the lower jaw (pos. 34 and 35) early yesterday. My lower lip and chin area are still numb (feels like when dental injections are just about to wear off - except they don't). The implantologist says the nerves are not damaged and can apparently see this on the X-rays. He says the feeling will disappear over several days and is caused by the local anaesthetic.

Qu. Can the aneasthetic (or the way it was administered) really be the cause? or can the nerves in fact be bruised in some way not visible on X-rays?

[Jerome Bogin, D.D.S.]

I think that both responses can be correct. I think the numbness will wear off in a short period of time.

[mike1105]

perhaps the main nerves were not traumatized or damaged, but its possible some local, minor nerves were. It's also possible that you had nerve trauma from the injection(s), which would not show on a film. Call the dentist who placed the fixtures, and discuss it with him or her especially if the numbness t\lasts longer than a few days.

[mhepo]

Thanks for the advice, shall discuss it with him if feeling does not return.

[kid_twist]

Besides the numbness, how are the implants? Can you chew? Do they feel like your normal teeth? Was the procedure long and tedious?

[mhepo]

My implants are 2-stage implants; this was  just the first stage. So, this far, I only have the titanium screw implants in my jaw (which will now heal in the bone over the next three to four months) - the shiny white crowns are added after the healing is complete (yes - this means I have two teeth lacking for all that time). As for the procedure - it took about 45 minutes, was  painless (to my amazement!) and now I have just the slight pain of healing gums due to the incision/stitches (the numbness is seemingly a rare occurrence).

[mhepo]

My implants are 2-stage implants; I have just finished stage one whereby the titanium screws are implanted in the jaw bone and are left to heal/anchor for 3 to 4 months. The white (visible) crowns will be fitted to the screws after this healing period - until then all you see is empty gums. The operation was entirely painless and lasted about 40-45 minutes. Apart from the numbness (which is rare, I am told), I only have the mild pain of the incision wound and the stitches in the gum, which are healing up; stitches will be removed in a week. To avoid infection, I was given antibiotics one day before and these continue for 4 days, plus antiseptic mouth rinse after food.

[kid_twist]

Thanks! Have you tried to alleviate the numbness with acupuncture or message therapy...

[mhepo]

Have not tried massage or acupuncture, but have now received information from several others with seemingly identical problems, so maybe this is not so rare after all when doing the 34 and 35 teeth. The numbness symptoms seem to last anywhere between about two weeks and 1 year. Some tried acupuncture, massage and even microwave treatments but all apparently without any noticeable effect - for them it just improved back to normal over time. General consensus is that lots of small nerves probably get damaged (as mentioned in the first reply in this forum) and the big nerves seem to come out "in sympathy" even when they are not noticeably damaged.

[Helen_Robby]

A related discussion, over a month pain left chin and sensitive teeth was started.