What to Expect After Wisdom Teeth Removal
In most cases, the removal of wisdom teeth is performed under local anesthesia, laughing gas (nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia), or general anesthesia. These options, as well as the surgical risks (i.e., sensory nerve damage, sinus complications), will be discussed with you before the procedure. Once the teeth are removed, the gum is sutured.
To help control bleeding, bite down on the gauze placed in your mouth. You will rest under our supervision in the office until you are ready to be taken home. Upon discharge, your post-operative kit will include post-operative instructions and any medications prescribed for your recovery. If sutures are placed, they are typically dissolvable, and our team will let you know whether a follow-up visit is needed. Recovery needs can vary depending on the position of the teeth, including whether they are impacted.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call us at Charlotte Office Phone Number 704-541-7761.
What Will I Feel Like After Wisdom Teeth Removal Surgery?
On the first day after surgery, you may experience some minor bleeding and pain. You should cover your pillowcase with something so that you don’t get any blood on it. Each individual’s reaction to surgery varies, and the sensation of pain can range from mild discomfort to severe pain.
A variable amount of swelling can be expected following the surgery. This swelling usually peaks on the second day and should begin resolving on the third day. You can limit the amount of swelling you will have by using ice for the entire first day. The more ice you use the first day, the less swelling you are likely to have on the second day. Please remember to put ice on the first day even if it is somewhat uncomfortable to have the cold next to your skin.
On the third day, you will notice that your jaw muscles are stiff, and it is difficult to open your mouth normally. You can apply moist heat to your face on the second and third day, allowing your muscles to relax more and open wider.
Most of the time, you will want to limit your activities for a few days. We ask that you follow your post-operative instructions closely. Doing so will make you as comfortable as possible during the first few days following your procedure.
Please allow time for your body to begin healing before resuming an active social, academic, or athletic schedule. Most patients feel like they are over the hump and on their way to recovery in 3 to 5 days.
Are There Any Problems After the Extraction of Wisdom Teeth?
As with any medical procedure, there can be complications or an unanticipated result. Some complications that patients undergoing Wisdom Tooth Extraction may experience include: Damage to the sensory nerve that supplies sensation to the lips and tongue, sinus communication, infections, and dry sockets.
After the procedure, our assistants will review your post-operative instructions with your escort. We ask that you follow these instructions closely, as they will make you most comfortable following your procedure. If you were sedated, you will be comfortable and drowsy when you leave the office. Most patients prefer to go home and rest with no other physical or scholastic activities planned for a few days.
With any medical procedure, unexpected results can occur. These can include delayed healing, infection, and post-operative numbness or tingling in your lip, chin, or tongue. Dr. Alessandrini and our team will review any relevant post-operative concerns with you and answer your questions during follow-up care.
Damage to Sensory Nerve:
A primary concern is a nerve within the lower jawbone that supplies feeling to the lower lip, chin, and tongue. This nerve is frequently very close to the roots of the lower wisdom teeth. Having these teeth out between the ages of 12 and 18 usually provides shorter roots so that the nerve is not so close to the roots of these teeth.
Occasionally, when the teeth are removed, and especially in older patients, the nerve can become injured. When local anesthesia wears off, you may experience a tingling or numbing sensation in the lower lip, chin, or tongue.
Should this occur, it is usually temporary and will resolve gradually over a period of weeks or months. On rare occasions, it can result in a permanent alteration of sensation similar to having local anesthesia. We feel that you should be aware of this possibility before consenting to surgery.
Sinus Communication:
The upper wisdom teeth are situated close to your sinuses, and their removal can result in an opening between your mouth and the sinus. Once again, if the teeth are removed at an early age, the root formation is minimal, and this complication is very unlikely. However, if it does occur, it will usually close spontaneously, but we may give you special instructions to follow, such as avoid blowing your nose for two or three days following the surgery.
You can wipe your nose, but don’t blow your nose. If you have to sneeze, you should sneeze with an open mouth into a tissue. Pressure should not be created in the sinus area, which may dislodge the healing blood clot. If you sense this condition occurring after the surgery, please contact the office. An additional procedure may RARELY be necessary to close the opening.
Dry Sockets:
Dry sockets are the most common problem people experience following dental surgery. They arise due to premature loss of a blood clot in the empty tooth socket. This seems to occur with greater frequency in people who smoke or are taking birth control pills. While both jaws can be affected, they usually occur in the lower jaw on the third to fifth day. They cause a deep, dull, continuous aching on the affected side(s). Patients may first notice the pain starting in the ear radiating down towards the chin.
The symptoms frequently begin in the middle of the night, and your pain medication regimen may not help. Treatment can involve changing your prescription. Occasionally, it is helpful to place a medicated dressing in the empty tooth socket. This will help decrease the pain and protect the socket from food particles. The effectiveness in alleviating the pain lasts for 24-48 hours and may require dressing changes every day or two, for five to seven days. Dressings usually are removed when you have been pain-free for 2 to 3 days.
The dressing doesn’t aid in healing. The only reason to place a dressing is for pain control. If medication is controlling the pain, the socket will heal without a dressing. Following removal of the dressing, an irrigation device may be provided to help you to keep food particles from lodging in the extraction site.
Infection:
Occasionally, post-operative infections occur. This usually requires an office visit and clinical examination. Many times, just placing you on an antibiotic for one week will take care of the infection.
If it persists, the area will have to be drained and cleaned. Other temporary problems you may experience in the post-operative period include stiffness of the jaws, chafing around the corners of your lips, facial bruising, and blood oozing from the extraction sites.
The post-operative instruction sheet we will provide should answer many of the questions related to these more common concerns. If not, don’t hesitate to call the office at Charlotte Office Phone Number 704-541-7761.
Frequently Asked Questions
Recovery varies from patient to patient, but Atlantic notes that most patients feel like they are over the hump within about 3 to 5 days. It is normal to limit activities for the first few days while swelling, soreness, and jaw stiffness begin to improve. Follow your post-operative instructions closely and allow your body time to heal before returning to a full social, academic, or athletic schedule.
Some swelling is expected after wisdom teeth removal. Atlantic notes that swelling usually peaks on the second day and begins to improve around the third day. Using ice during the first day can help limit swelling. If swelling continues to worsen rather than improve, contact the office for guidance.
Minor bleeding or oozing can be normal on the first day after surgery. Bite firmly on the gauze placed over the extraction sites as directed to help control bleeding. If bleeding is heavy, persistent, or otherwise concerning, contact Atlantic Oral, Implant & Facial Surgery at 704-541-7761.
Dry socket occurs when the blood clot protecting the extraction site is lost too early. Follow your post-operative instructions closely and avoid smoking, which Atlantic notes is associated with a higher risk of dry socket. Protecting the healing sites during the first several days is important because dry socket most often develops around the third to fifth day after surgery.
Contact Atlantic Oral, Implant & Facial Surgery if you develop severe or persistent pain, signs of infection, continued or concerning bleeding, or symptoms that do not seem to be improving as expected. You should also call if you notice symptoms that may indicate a sinus opening after upper wisdom tooth removal or if you have questions about how your extraction sites are healing.
Call (704) 541-7761
