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Is it normal for gums to slightly swell overnight, then go down again?

M

MountainMama

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Jul 1, 2018
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Sorry if I sound neurotic. This may be completely normal but I just noticed it a few days ago. My new front tooth implant crown has a slight raised spot on the back where the screw is, so it has a little ridged area. The past three mornings, I noticed that my gums are swollen over the ridged area so that I can’t feel it at all. Within a half hour I can slightly feel it and by the end of the day, the ridge is back. I don’t know if it has always done that and I never noticed before or if my nightguard is rubbing it, or if it means there is a problem. I can’t tell if all my gums are swollen because I don’t have a reference point on my other teeth like with the crown. I have had the crown for two weeks now.
 
Chances are the night guard is rubbing it a bit. Ask your dentist to take a look.
 
Chances are the night guard is rubbing it a bit. Ask your dentist to take a look.

Thanks! I asked my dentist today and he said the gums look irritated and it probably is the nightguard. Of course, I forgot to bring it today when I went in so he said to come in later in the week and he would adjust it. I am moving Friday so things are chaotic at home. I will have to try to make an extra trip in.
 
Typical! Good luck with the big move btw :)
 
@Gordon So the swelling is still happening. It is swollen in the morning and goes down gradually throughout the day. It is more painful in the morning although I suspect that is the neuralgia as it goes down later in the day as well. The gums behind the implant have always been more sensitive since the implant was put in, kind of bruised.
Could it just be that the nightguard causes it, as it creates suction? Maybe I just didn’t notice before because I didn’t have a reference point like I do now, where I can feel the gums over the ridge in the crown.

I don’t have a dentist here yet. I got an appointment for a cleaning in February with a local dentist (the only one in town). I was told he was good but very old school. A dentist in another town was recommended but I have called them five times, on five different days (at different times) and got the answering machine every time. The message is a bit off-putting as the recording says not to leave a message for an appointment, but to call back again during business hours. Frustrating!
 
It really sounds like the guard is causing it. I don't think it's the suction, it's probably just a little bit over extended and pushing hard on the gum in those areas.
 
It really sounds like the guard is causing it. I don't think it's the suction, it's probably just a little bit over extended and pushing hard on the gum in those areas.

So nothing I need to worry about? Or should I try to get in with the local dentist? I am having a hard time filling out the paperwork for the local dentist. I have an appointment for a cleaning scheduled in February and they sent me the paperwork. I just don’t want to start over at a new dentist. It is terrifying.
 
No, I don't think it's a big problem. Are you any good with a nail file? Would take about 30s to file a bit off the gum shield in the problem area...
 
No, I don't think it's a big problem. Are you any good with a nail file? Would take about 30s to file a bit off the gum shield in the problem area...
I can try that. I would rather my first appointment with the new dentist be a cleaning, so I can get to know him first. If it can be put off, I want to put it off. I don’t want to start a new visit looking like I am a hypochondriac if there is nothing wrong.

The gums behind the implant crown have always been very bruised feeling, right from the start. That has never changed. They hurt when pressed with my tongue or while eating, but have never gotten red or irritated looking.
Would infection behind the tooth show up on a regular x ray? I would think the dentist would have seen it when he put the implant crown in last month if it was there. It scares me because O had that raging abscess behind the tooth that didn’t show up in my yearly x ray. It was only discovered once it started hurting and I had a lot of bone loss behind the tooth that showed up in a 3D x ray that did not show up in a regular x ray. So I am paranoid!
 
Infections usually show a variety of symptoms, a raging abscess would be likely to cause a fair amount of pain, plus swelling, redness and probably a foul taste/smell if it was draining out from behind a tooth.
 
Infections usually show a variety of symptoms, a raging abscess would be likely to cause a fair amount of pain, plus swelling, redness and probably a foul taste/smell if it was draining out from behind a tooth.

The last abscess I had never had any symptoms at all. No swelling, no redness and no pain and no bad taste. Once the tooth started hurting, the abscess had created quite a bit of bone loss. The endodontist said it had to have been growing for over a year, probably two, based on how big it was. I lost the tooth, so now I worry that with an implant I really won’t feel anything until it is too late. Having been told I have atypical facial pain doesn’t help...I wonder if the pain is infection or neuralgia constantly.
 
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