Can Dental Implants Make You Numb?

I think I caught my dentist on a bad day and it has caused some problems. Normally, he’s very patient and gentle, but the day I came in for my dental implant, he came  bursting through the door in a rush and obviously upset. He didn’t take time to numb me much before my injection, which normally he does because he knows I get anxious. He just jabbed me. It hurt insanely. It’s been three days, and I still can’t feel my tongue. What’s going on? Should I have the dental implant removed?

Denise L. – Ft. Worth

Denise,

Wow! You’ve handled the change in your dentist’s personality very well, especially for someone who has dental anxiety. I have to say, I’m impressed. Many patients would have been furious.

As far as the numbness goes, it’s not the dental implant. It sounds to me like he hit a lingual nerve. This can happen even when everything is done perfectly and patiently. Those nerves are in the same general location, but everyone is a little different, so all a dentist can do is take their most educated guess.

If that’s the case, the feeling will likely come back. In many cases it comes back within a week or two, but it can take as long as a year to eighteen months.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. David Newkirk.