What does a healthy wisdom tooth extraction look like

What should your teen expect after their wisdom teeth removal surgery? An extraction often comes with discomfort and other similar issues. But some post-procedure pains are red flags to watch out for. If you’re not sure what your teen should expect to feel, see, and taste after surgery, take a look at the top questions parents often have about what is and isn’t normal.

Does the Surgery Cause Grogginess?

The answer to this question depends on whether your teen is sedated for the procedure or not. Most patients prefer sedation for this type of surgery. This option allows your child to rest, sleep, and relax.

Unlike general anesthesia, which is for more complex and invasive medical procedures, a wisdom tooth extraction typically only requires a mild and moderate type of sedation. This allows your child to remain calm and rest – but they can still wake easily.

Even though your child won’t have general anesthesia, they will still wake from the procedure feeling tired or groggy. This means if your teen is old enough to drive, they will need you (or another responsible adult) to transport them to and from the extraction appointment.

The dentist will explain vehicle, work, or other post-op sedation-related restrictions. They will gradually feel less tired in the hours after their surgery. But this doesn’t mean the sedation has fully worn off. Instead, they will likely feel out of it or fatigued for the rest of the day.

Does the Extraction Cause Pain?

Like any other dental procedure, a wisdom tooth extraction can cause discomfort or pain. The dentist or oral surgeon will need to make an incision on the gum to expose and remove the tooth. The dentist or surgeon might need to break the tooth into sections to remove it. After the entire tooth is removed, the dentist or surgeon will remove any leftover debris and close the extraction site with stitches.

The surgical procedure, consisting of cutting and tooth removal, can cause trauma to the mouth. This results in discomfort or pain. To reduce the after-effects of this type of surgery, the dentist may prescribe a pain reliever. If the dentist doesn’t feel a prescription is necessary or you prefer your teen to take something with less strength, ask about an over-the-counter medication.

Along with pain relievers, the dentist may recommend an ice pack immediately after surgery. Not only can this reduce pain but can also help to decrease swelling.

How Long Will the Pain Last?

There’s no magic minute mark when the pain will go away. Some teens experience almost no discomfort, while others feel pain or sensitivity for a few days after the procedure. If the pain gets worse, persists past three or four days (at the same intensity), or is accompanied by other symptoms, contact the dentist immediately. Feeling more pain or a new pain as the days go by not normal. This could indicate an infection or dry socket.

What Is Dry Socket and Is It Normal?

Dry socket is a possible complication of tooth extraction. While this condition is a common post-op issue, it isn’t normal. If the blood clot in the extraction site dissolves too quickly or comes loose before the area has time to heal, it can expose the underlying bone and nerves.

This condition includes symptoms such as severe pain, loss of the blood clot (at the extraction site); visible bone; radiating pain that extends to the ear, temple, or eye; unusually bad breath; or a bad taste.

If you suspect your child has dry socket, call the dentist as soon as possible. The dentist will need to examine the area and recommend a treatment plan. Treatments for dry socket depend on the severity and may range from flushing out the area to providing medicated dressings and prescription pain relievers.

Does your teen need to schedule a wisdom tooth extraction? Contact Youth Dental & Vision for more information. 

Tooth extractions can be required for a variety of reasons. Typically, tooth extractions are performed to remove wisdom teeth. Most people don’t have enough space in their mouths for their wisdom teeth, so pulling them is advised in order to prevent teeth shifting, pain, and other problems.

Teeth may also need to be extracted if they have been seriously damaged by a traumatic injury, or in cases of advanced tooth decay or periodontal disease.

As your mouth heals from your extraction, some side effects can occur. These side effects are only temporary. They include:

• Swelling
• Minor pain
• Bleeding
• Tenderness
• Soreness

No matter what your specific reason may be, if you’re having a tooth pulled you may be wondering what to expect, and how long it will take to recover from your extraction. Here’s a few things to keep in mind during post-op care:

The First 24 Hours

During the first 24 hours after your tooth has been pulled, several things will happen. Blood clots will begin to form, and the sutures in your mouth will help the tissue begin to heal.

You will likely experience some minor pain and bleeding during the first 24 hours of your recovery process. Typically, you’ll be given a prescription for a pain reliever to aid you through this process.

Usually, you’ll be able to return to non-strenuous activities, such as driving and working an office job, within a day of the surgery. However, athletic activities may be limited, and workers in active positions may need to take extra time off.

Swelling also tends to peak at around 24 hours post-surgery. This can be treated with ice packs applied externally to the face, and should subside rather quickly. If pain and bleeding continue and persist for 2-3 days, see your dentist to ensure there are no complications with your procedure.

1-2 Days Post Extraction

The first two days after your extraction require the most care, as this is when your mouth is doing a majority of its healing. It's perfectly normal to experience a low level amount of bleeding and some soreness at the extraction site. Since these two days are crucial to your extraction recovery, we suggest:

• Getting plenty of rest: Expect to rest for at least the first 24 hours post-extraction.
• Change gauze: Make sure to leave the first gauze in for a few hours to let the blood clot form. After that, you can change your gauze as often as necessary.
• Take pain medication: Your doctor may prescribe you more powerful pain medication for larger extractions (like molars or wisdom teeth) depending on your medical history. However in some cases, over-the-counter pain relievers are enough to help with any discomfort.
• Avoid smoking or drinking through straws: The suction needed to puff on a cigarette or drink through a straw creates pressure in the mouth that can cause complications with your blood clot. It's crucial to avoid both of these for the first few days of your healing process.
• Elevate the head: When sleeping or resting, use additional pillows to prop your head up and avoid the pooling of blood in the mouth which can prolong healing time.

3 Days Post Extraction

After about 3 days, the empty tooth socket will have mostly healed. There should be no more bleeding present, and swelling should be minimal at this point. You may still experience some tenderness or soreness, but you should no longer feel pain or discomfort. During this stage of the healing process it is important to keep the clot in place, which requires additional hygiene procedures including:

• Saline rinses: Gently rinse your mouth with a saline solution or warm water with salt. This will help prevent bacteria from growing in the area and prevent infection from occurring.
• Brush and floss: You may start to brush and floss your teeth as usual, but make sure to avoid the extraction site. The saline rinse or salt water will take care of cleaning the extraction area.
• Eating soft foods: You should plan to eat soft foods throughout the healing process to avoid food getting trapped in the socket. Popular food choices include soups, yogurt, or applesauce.

1 Week Post Extraction

After about 7-10 days, your clot should be fully formed and in place. If you had stitches placed, they will be removed if they were non-dissolving. If they were dissolving stitches, they’ll disappear on their own. If pain or bleeding are occurring during this stage of the healing process, contact your dentist to see if you need to come in for a follow up appointment.

2 Weeks Post Extraction

After about 14 days, the sockets will be almost completely healed. However, the tissue is highly vascular and tender at the extraction site. Do not brush this tissue too much, and avoid chewing too much food near the extraction site. While your socket is almost healed, there is still the chance of getting an infection or rupturing the new layer of gum tissue.

3+ Weeks Post Extraction

After 3-4 weeks, the process of healing is essentially complete. You may still feel a bit of tenderness at the site of your extraction, but this should not cause significant pain or bleeding.

At this point, you simply have to be careful not to let food or debris build up in your empty socket, so you should be brushing and flossing properly, and irrigating the socket to remove debris, if instructed to do so.

Know What To Expect And Follow All Instructions Given To You

The above timeline is just an overview. Depending on your oral health, the specifics of your recovery may differ. So, after you come to the office of Dr. Priti Naik for a tooth extraction, simply make sure that you follow all of her recovery instructions, and you’ll be completely healed in just a few weeks.

Do you think you may need tooth extractions in Vienna? Contact us now for an appointment at (703) 288-1800, or come by our office at 8230 Boone Blvd, #320, Vienna, VA 22182 to get the dental care that you need in Vienna, Tysons Corner and Mclean.

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