How many days does swelling last after wisdom teeth removal

It’s not uncommon for teenagers to have their wisdom teeth removed as they come in, especially if they’re getting impacted or crowding other teeth and causing misalignment issues. However, there are also plenty of adults who elect to have their wisdom teeth removed later on.

For some, removing them is unnecessary if they grow fine and have no impact on other teeth. That said, the fact that they’re in the back of your mouth can make them hard to clean, leading to issues like cavities. At some point, it may be in your best interest to have them removed.

Whether you go under general anesthesia for this process or the extractions are simple enough that your wisdom teeth can be pulled like normal teeth with little more than Novocain, you will experience some downtime following the procedure. It generally takes at least two weeks for your mouth to fully heal, and you’ll have some swelling for the first 2-4 days following the extraction.

How can you reduce swelling and speed the healing process after tooth removal? You can take several steps to facilitate recovery and keep pain and swelling to a minimum.

Rest and Recover

This is very important – you must plan to rest for at least a few days following wisdom tooth extraction. It’s best to avoid strenuous activity and give yourself adequate time to heal. First and foremost, you need to make sure the bleeding subsides, and blood clots form so the sockets can start to heal.

If you’re up and at them the same day or the day after, you could reopen wounds and increase bleeding, healing time, and risk of infection. Spending a couple of days on the couch, packing your mouth with gauze, and taking other precautions is the best way to ensure proper healing and minimize swelling and potential discomfort.

Anti-Inflammatory Medication

After any surgery, pain symptoms are to be expected. With proper treatment, you can avoid the onset of pain. Anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen will help reduce swelling and alleviate discomfort, but depending on your threshold for pain, you may also want to take the painkillers your dentist prescribes.

Often, you can take them simultaneously or trade them off to maximize benefits. Some patients don’t need painkillers, and ibuprofen does the trick. You’ll want to ensure you start taking it before the anesthesia completely wears off and continue taking it at regular intervals after that. In other words, get ahead of the pain if you want to control it.

Icing

Swelling is a normal bodily response to trauma, such as tooth removal, but you can help control it in various ways. One of the best options is using ice packs, which will not only address the swelling but also help to numb the area if you’re experiencing some pain.

You never want to put ice directly on your skin, so wrap your ice pack in a thin towel. You can apply it for about 20 minutes if it’s comfortable and then remove it for about 20 minutes before reapplying. This could help immensely during the first couple of days after surgery.

Stick to Soft Foods

The last thing you want to do is stab your healing sockets with something hard or sticky, so eating only soft foods in the days following the removal of wisdom teeth is best. Cold, soft foods like ice cream, Jell-O, pudding, and yogurt can be especially soothing during the first couple of days, after which you can start adding mashed potatoes, pasta, eggs, and other soft foods that are more filling and nourishing.

Sipping milkshakes might be a good idea, but you must avoid using straws for at least a few days. Using a straw’s suction could damage blood clots in the sockets, causing them to come loose and set off bleeding again.

Clean Carefully

Cleaning can be tough for several days following oral surgery, so you’ll want to follow your dentist’s instructions to a tee. For the first few days, you’ll use saltwater rinses, after which you can probably begin brushing, as long as you’re careful to avoid the sockets. Your dentist may provide you with a small syringe that you can use to gently flush the area around the sockets to remove food and bacteria until they are fully healed.

Wisdom Teeth Removal & Tooth Extractions

Tooth Extractions: Emergency & Other Services

In most cases, we strive to help our New Jersey patients preserve their natural teeth for as long as possible. But sometimes, teeth are non-restorable or so badly infected that it’s best to have them removed. 

Our Princeton, NJ, dentist may suggest a dental extraction due to circumstances related to:

  • Advanced periodontal (gum) disease
  • Upcoming dental implant therapy
  • Impacted wisdom teeth
  • Full dentures for bite rehabilitation
  • Aggressive tooth decay
  • Orthodontic therapy
  • Painful dental abscesses
  • Severely cracked teeth

After examining your teeth and taking an X-ray to evaluate the integrity of the roots,  our dentist will determine if an extraction is the best option (or if a better alternative is available.)

Wisdom Teeth Removal: How it Works

Wisdom teeth are some of the most common ones that need to be extracted, due to their location. Because they are the furthest back in the mouth, third molars tend to be more prone to infection and decay. In some cases, wisdom teeth become impacted against the tooth next to them, causing additional damage.

Upon examining your mouth and taking an X-ray of your wisdom teeth, Dr. Bestandji can recommend whether it’s best to have them removed. In some cases, we’re able to provide wisdom teeth extraction here in our Princeton practice. We also have access to SOL soft tissue laser technology to remove extra gum tissue around wisdom teeth (operculectomy) to help make them easier to clean, potentially avoiding the need for a tooth extraction at all.

The Recovery Process

The timeline for wisdom tooth removal recovery is a big concern for parents and teens. This is especially true if wisdom tooth extraction is being planned around a school (or college) calendar. If you’re having wisdom teeth extracted as an adult, you’ll also need to know what to expect after oral surgery, particularly when it comes to days taken off work.

Knowing how to plan for your surgery and steps to take afterward can minimize potential discomfort.

At Canal Vista Family Dental, we’re committed to helping you keep your smile healthy for a lifetime. Since wisdom teeth tend to start forming in the mid to late teen years and through early adulthood, Dr. Bestandji will use intermittent full-mouth panoramic X-rays to assess their development. Once we have an image of the teeth’s position and size, we can let you know whether or not a wisdom tooth removal is necessary.

We suggest getting a wisdom tooth extraction consultation before your teen graduates high school. Dr. Bestandji will monitor the tooth development at each six-month checkup to determine if any intervention is necessary. If it is, we can coordinate a referral to a local oral surgeon to have the third molars taken out.

In most scenarios, your wisdom teeth will be fully developed by sometime in your late 20s or close to 30 years of age. Of course, there are always exceptions. Ultimately if you’re able to be pain and infection-free until your wisdom teeth are completely developed, there’s a chance that you might not ever need to have them removed. The key is to make sure they’re not pressing into adjacent teeth (damaging them) or partially erupted (where they’re prone to infection.)

First things first, your comfort during wisdom tooth extraction recovery is a top priority. Since swelling is typically the leading cause of pain and discomfort, you’ll want to take steps to keep inflammation down. With the right planning and close communication with your oral surgeon, you can significantly lessen the opportunity for swelling on the days following your wisdom tooth removal.

Today, most dentists and oral surgeons are getting away from using opioids/narcotics following a wisdom tooth removal procedure. Although that may sound a bit concerning at first, this change is actually a good thing. Thanks to advancements in medication, there are safer, non-addictive pain relievers that can be used to ease patient comfort and reduce post-surgery swelling. One example is Exparel; this numbing medication is applied at the surgical site and lasts up to a few days after the wisdom tooth is removed. By that time, the majority of any inflammation or tenderness around your extraction site will subside. The end result is a more comfortable wisdom tooth recovery experience.

If you do need any type of pain relief, an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen (Motrin) is preferred, as long as you’re cleared by your doctor. Take the medication as prescribed to keep swelling down. Your surgeon might suggest taking it proactively before discomfort even develops.

Depending on how complex your wisdom tooth removal was, your surgeon might also suggest a prescription medication to take during your recovery. To prevent unnecessary stomach irritation or nausea, it’s best to take all medication (prescription or over the counter) with at least a little food in your stomach. If you’re still on a soft diet — which most people are after oral surgery — eating a little yogurt, applesauce, or something similar before taking your medication can prevent an upset stomach.

Cold compresses are extremely helpful. For the first several hours after wisdom tooth surgery, plan to apply a cold compress on that side of your face for 20 minutes, then off for 20 minutes, repeating the cycle to keep swelling at bay. The cooler temperature will reduce the extent of inflammation after surgery, naturally easing any discomfort.

Anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. Typically, wisdom tooth swelling after surgery is short-lived. In an ideal situation, swelling should improve after a few days. As long as you carefully follow your home-care instructions, you can prevent complications and additional swelling. However, some people do see signs of swelling that take several days to subside. With the right medication and self-care, you can actively reduce swelling and ease your way to recover.

Along with swelling, you may experience some bruising or tenderness. It’s best to take at least a few days off work or school. Scheduling your wisdom tooth removal for a Wednesday or Thursday and then taking off the rest of the week is usually more than adequate to “get back to normal” by the next Monday morning. Although irritation or swelling may not be 100% resolved, it should have significantly improved enough for you to go about your day-to-day routine. In the meantime, stick to a soft diet until the surgical sites have completely healed (which is usually 10-14 days at the most.)

For any oral surgery (such as a wisdom tooth extraction or bone graft), you may be advised to take off about a week to fully recover. 

What to expect after a molar tooth extraction will depend on if the tooth was already diseased, broken, or embedded down in the bone. Dr. Bestandji can give you a good idea as to recovery time during your tooth removal consultation.

We encourage you to schedule an exam and wisdom tooth consultation with us if you’re experiencing any facial swelling or pain. Dr. Bestandji is happy to see new patients of all ages! 

Emergency Dental Extractions

A horrible toothache can hit you at the worst of times.  Maybe it’s at your son’s Friday night hockey game, or during your daughter’s Saturday morning dance recital.  The pain can be unbearable.

Anyone that has ever experienced the shocking jolt of tooth pain knows how awful it can be.  You wake up constantly at night and there’s no possible medication or antibiotics available over the counter that would even take the edge off of your discomfort. So, what are you to do? Many people will end up in the Emergency Room, desperate to get some relief. We all know how exhausting hospital visits are, especially when you’re in pain.

It’s no wonder there aren’t more dental practices in Princeton with an emergency dentist available. Dr. Bestandji is here to assist you and provide a dental extraction to relieve your pain, if it’s necessary.

Keeping You Comfortable

Having a tooth pulled is usually a straightforward procedure. With a little local anesthetic to numb the area around your tooth, Dr. Bestandji can remove it with practically no discomfort. All you’ll feel is a small amount of pressure.

When possible, we want to do everything we can to help you preserve your healthy teeth. We will only recommend having a tooth extracted if it’s in the best interest of your overall smile and individual needs. If you need a second opinion or are thinking about having a problematic tooth pulled, we encourage you to visit Canal Vista Family Dental for an exam!

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How many days does swelling last after wisdom teeth removal

Other Emergency Services

Because most common dental problems are preventable, Dr. Bestandji opts to incorporate strategies that help our patients reduce the risk of tooth decay from a very early age. This may be through protective dental sealants, fluoride, or even ClearCorrect orthodontic trays to make it easier for you to keep your smile clean.

Has it been more than six months since your last exam and cleaning? Are you looking for a family dentist in Princeton? Canal Vista Family Dental accepts patients of all ages. Contact us today to request your first appointment.

How many days does swelling last after wisdom teeth removal

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How many days does swelling last after wisdom teeth removal

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How long will I be swollen after wisdom teeth removal?

While each patient is variable, this swelling usually peaks on days 3-4 and should typically begin to resolve by day 5. You can limit the amount of swelling you will have by using ice packs. The more ice you use in the four days, the less swelling you are likely to experience.

How do you reduce swelling after wisdom teeth removal?

How To Reduce Swelling After Wisdom Teeth Removal.
Apply an ice pack. You can get rid of swelling after tooth extraction by applying an ice pack to the outside of the surgical site..
Elevate your head. ... .
Take pain medication. ... .
Apply a warm compress. ... .
Saltwater rinse. ... .
Eat a soft food or liquid diet..