Pain after a dental implant: how long it lasts and how to ease it

How long the pain lasts

The guidance we use gives no pain timeline written for implant surgery itself. It varies with what was done: one implant, several, a bone graft or a sinus lift.

The nearest guidance is for wisdom tooth removal, which is also surgery in the jaw. The NHS says pain and swelling can last for up to 2 weeks¹ and should start to improve after 1 or 2 days. The pattern matters more than the number of days. Pain that starts to ease after the first day or two and keeps easing is the expected course. Pain that is severe, or getting worse instead of better, is not.

Painkillers: what the trials show

Ibuprofen and paracetamol. The NHS advises paracetamol or ibuprofen after wisdom tooth removal. A Cochrane review pooled 3 trials of 1,647 people in moderate or severe pain after wisdom tooth removal. After a single dose of ibuprofen and paracetamol together, 69 to 73 in 100 people², depending on the dose, had at least half their pain relieved over 6 hours. On a dummy tablet it was 7 in 100. The American Dental Association's 2024 guideline suggests an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen, alone or with paracetamol³, as the first choice for dental pain. It rates that advice as conditional, on low-certainty evidence.

Opioids have not been shown to work better for dental pain. A review of reviews found that anti-inflammatories, with or without paracetamol, gave the best balance. Opioid-containing medicines were among those most often linked to side effects⁴. The ADA keeps opioid combinations for rare cases where the first choices have not worked or cannot be used. These findings come from dental pain studies, mostly after tooth removal, not from implant surgery.

How long to take them. The guidance we use sets no number of days for implant surgery. Take them as your aftercare instructions say. If you still need them beyond that, or they stop working, call your dentist rather than taking more.

Cautions before you take them

• Blood thinners. A UK leaflet for people taking anticoagulant or antiplatelet medicines advises paracetamol and avoiding anti-inflammatories such as aspirin, ibuprofen or diclofenac⁵. If bleeding continues, the same leaflet advises pressing on the area for 30 minutes⁵, and contacting your dentist if that does not stop it. Do not stop or change your blood thinner yourself.
• Pregnancy. The NHS says to avoid ibuprofen during pregnancy⁶ unless a doctor or pharmacist advises it; paracetamol is usually the choice.
• Two paracetamol products. Many cold and flu remedies also contain paracetamol. Scottish guidance warns that people in dental pain may take more than one paracetamol product⁷ without knowing it, and overdose by accident. Check every label. If you think you have taken too much paracetamol, get medical help straight away, even if you feel well: Scottish guidance notes that liver damage from an overdose may not show for 4 to 6 days⁸.
• Swallow tablets. Do not hold a painkiller against the gum or the wound. Scottish self-care advice for dental pain says placing tablets next to the sore area can damage the tissue⁸.
• Other conditions. If you have a long-term illness, stomach problems, asthma or take other medicines, ask a pharmacist which painkiller suits you.

What else may help

• A cold pack on the cheek. A review of 6 trials after wisdom tooth surgery found a small reduction in pain on the third day⁹, no clear effect on swelling, and low-certainty evidence. There is no agreed schedule. Wrap it in a cloth.
• Rest with your head raised. Scottish guidance for extractions advises keeping the head raised and avoiding alcohol, smoking and exercise for 24 hours¹⁰ once bleeding has stopped.
• Soft, cool or lukewarm food. Chew on the other side and avoid very hot drinks while the area is sore.
• Leave the wound alone. Do not rinse on the day of surgery, and do not poke the area with your tongue, fingers or a toothpick. After that, keep brushing your other teeth and follow your instructions on cleaning around the wound.
• Do not smoke. Smoking is linked to implants lost early, while they are healing¹¹, and no safe number of cigarettes has been shown.

We found no evidence that clove oil, gels or home remedies help after implant surgery, so we do not suggest them.

Pain that is not normal

Contact your dentist if:

• Pain and swelling are severe or getting worse, and painkillers are not helping
• You have pain with a bad taste in your mouth, a high temperature, or you feel unwell
• Bleeding does not stop after firm pressure on gauze (Scottish extraction guidance says to press for 20 minutes before checking¹⁰)
• There is pus or a bad smell around the implant, or the implant or a temporary tooth feels loose
• Numbness of the lip, tongue or chin lasts after the anaesthetic should have worn off

The NHS lists the first three as reasons to get urgent help¹ after wisdom tooth removal. Scottish guidance for extractions says bleeding that has not stopped after a second 20 minutes of pressure, or that does not stop or starts again in someone on a blood thinner, needs emergency care¹⁰. If you cannot reach your dentist, go to the nearest emergency department. Do not keep increasing painkillers to cover pain that is getting worse; it needs an examination.

Emergencies. Go to the nearest emergency department or call 112 if swelling makes it hard to breathe, swallow or speak, or if the area around your eye or your neck swells. The NHS lists these as reasons to go to an emergency department¹².

Frequently asked questions