Understanding Root Canal Procedures

Here's Why The Motion Of Your Jaw Can Be Temporarily Affected By Dental Implant Surgery

15 July 2021

Diane Mason

You might not have heard of trismus, but you probably know it by its more common name—lockjaw. It's an unpleasant condition where the motion of your jaw becomes limited, preventing you from opening your mouth properly. Lockjaw can be a problem immediately after your dental implant surgery, but is it anything to be worried about?

Your Mastication Muscles

Although dental implant surgery is focused on the empty dental socket that will be filled with the implant, it can affect other parts of your jaw too. You have four muscles in your mouth that are responsible for mastication (which is the crushing and grinding of your food). Some patients can experience irritation of these muscles during dental implant placement, which leads to your mastication muscles feeling strained.

Rigid Muscles

It's this strain that can impede the motion of your jaw, leading to a feeling of lockjaw. Your muscles are rigid, and try as you might, you're unable to properly open your mouth. This is not something that everyone who receives dental implants will experience, but it's reasonably common. Fortunately, it's a temporary problem and is not especially significant in terms of the success of your implant. 

Managing the Issue

Anti-inflammatory pain medication can be beneficial. You will require some form of pain relief during the healing process, so it can be helpful to use ibuprofen. Chances are that this would have been your dentist's recommendation anyway. It's also useful to have a small, microwavable heating pack during your recovery. This can be pressed to your jaw as needed. A combination of anti-inflammatory medication and a heating pack will soothe your rigid mastication muscles, which means your limited jaw motion will only be a temporary issue.

A Temporary Problem

The duration of any lockjaw symptoms will vary, but remember that these symptoms (if you in fact experience them) should only last for a matter of days. Your jaw motion should quickly return to normal, and if this isn't the case, then you should contact your dentist for assistance. They will need to rule out any muscle or nerve damage, however unlikely this is. 

It can be slightly alarming when you find that you're unable to fully open your mouth. While this can be an issue for patients who have received dental implants, it's important to remember that these symptoms won't last. Reach out to a dentist for more information about dental implants and the side effects that come with them. 

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