What to Expect after Getting Your Wisdom Teeth Out

Wisdom teeth removal is one of the most common types of oral surgery. It involves extracting the third set of molars. This procedure is often recommended to prevent or alleviate impaction or other dental concerns that are likely to occur due to lack of jaw space. Wisdom teeth removal is most often performed on patients between the ages of 17 and 25.

While the procedure is straightforward with very little risk involved, Pure Smile Dentistry recognizes that our patients need and deserve to know what to expect when they return home after wisdom teeth extraction

Timeline of Your Wisdom Teeth Recovery

Full recovery from wisdom teeth removal can take up to two weeks. Don’t worry – you won’t feel like a chipmunk eating applesauce and mumbling your words for more than few days. Depending on whether stitches were necessary and how well you take care of your wound, many patients return to normal eating habits after 2-3 days. However, the recovery is still gradual and typically involves the following timeline of healing the healing process:

First 24 hours: Blood clots will form. Minimal bruising, swelling and discomfort may be present.

2 to 3 days: Swelling of the mouth and cheeks should improve.

7 days: Remaining stitches may be removed by your dentist.

7 to 10 days: Jaw stiffness and soreness should dissipate.

2 weeks: Any mild bruising on the face or other residual effects should heal and go away.

What You Can Do to Help

After wisdom teeth removal, it’s normal to experience some post-operative discomfort, bleeding and swelling. Here are some things you can do about it:

• Bleeding: Bite down on a piece of gauze for 30-45 minutes at a time.
• Swelling: Apply an ice pack to the affected area for 10-15 minutes at a time, several times a day.
• Pain: Your dentist at Pure Smiles Dentistry can prescribe pain medication to help manage discomfort if over-the-counter medication is not working.
• Diet: Stick to a soft or liquid diet to avoid aggravating the extraction site. Avoid hot or spicy foods, as well as foods that are hard to chew.
• Oral hygiene: Be very careful about brushing and flossing around the extraction site, but remember good oral hygiene is necessary to prevent infection.
• Rest: Regardless of what area of the body it is, rest is essential in helping your tissues heal after surgical trauma – including oral surgery.

Recovery from wisdom teeth removal can look different for each patient. To learn more about what you can personally expect after this trusted oral surgery, please call Pure Smiles Dentistry. We make it a priority to keep patients informed and comfortable at every step.