What does a healing gum look like after tooth extraction

You and your dentist determined that a tooth extraction in savage was the best option for your dental health, you’ve had the procedure and now you need to know what to expect over the next 24 hours, 1-2 weeks, 3-4 weeks, and what to expect as the bone heals.

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Granulation Tissue
What is a Dry Socket?
What Are the Signs of a Tooth Infection?
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How do you know if your gums are healing after a tooth extraction?
What do infected gums look like after tooth extraction?

Your dentist will be the best resource when trying to manage your expectations of time away from work or school but there are some factors that will affect everyone’s healing time. Depending on the size of the tooth pulled, a molar versus an incisor, the tooth will leave a correspondingly larger or smaller wound once removed. Your personal medical history and genetics will play a part in your healing process. If you bruise easily or use tobacco regularly, then the extraction will take longer to clot and consequently heal. Usually, the younger you are, the faster you will heal from this surgery with less bruising, less swelling and less dental complications than older patients.

In the first 24 hours following the extraction, the bleeding should have stopped and a blood clot should be in place where the tooth was removed. The gum around the wound will be tender to the touch and the pain from the tooth removal should be subsiding. Alternatively, you can count on starting to see some swelling or inflammation on the side of the mouth of the extraction. This is your body sending help to heal the traumatized tissue. The best practice for most people is to take the day off from any straining or intensive physical work and if your dentist used IV sedation or general anesthesia, taking the day off of work or anything that involves concentration or critical thinking is going to prove to be helpful.

After the first and second weeks following your tooth extraction, you will notice the gums starting to close off the hole left behind. Compared to skin tissue or bone tissue, the gum tissue inside your mouth heals at a faster rate. The blood clot originally formed in the extraction site has transitioned to the beginning stages of gum tissue. The spot will still be sensitive and will bleed more easily that the surrounding gum tissue so take care to not poke or jab the site.

After the third and fourth weeks following your tooth extraction, the extraction site will be mostly new gum tissue and may show a slight indent where the tooth used to be. The site will be slightly tenderer to sharp-edged foods but should no longer be causing any pain or irritation.

When your tooth is extracted from your jaw, there is trauma to the jaw bone and this will take longer to heal than the gum tissue. The bone will start to heal after one week, nearly fill in the hole with new bone tissue by ten weeks and completely fill in the extraction hole by four months. Eight months after the extraction, the edges of the new bone should be flush with the old bone. The bone tissue will start to harden from week one to month eight.

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It can be challenging to know if your tooth extraction site is properly healing. You can anticipate mild bleeding, swelling, pain, sore jaw and throat, as well as, slight discolouration and bruising as the anesthesia wears off during the initial recovery period. All of these side effects are common and shouldn’t be a cause for concern.

At all stages of the recovery process, you should monitor the extraction site to ensure it is improving every day. We recommend looking at images of tooth extraction healing so you know what your mouth should look like. In this blog, we will describe what a tooth extraction should and should not look like when it’s healing. If you suspect your tooth extraction site isn’t healing properly or have questions related to the cost of tooth extraction, don’t hesitate to contact our dental clinic in Mississauga.

A healthy tooth extraction site should look deep red with white gelatinous tissues forming over time.

Granulation Tissue

A membrane called “granulation tissue” will form in the extraction site after about a week following the tooth extraction procedure. Within the first day following your tooth removal, a blood clot forms to stop the bleeding. Granulation tissue helps to protect the clot until the formation of the new bone. This bone formation will take approximately eight weeks. The tissue is a creamy white colour and is made up of collagen, blood vessels and white blood cells. The formation of this tissue is a great sign! It means your socket is healing properly.

Once a blood clot has formed, and granulation tissue has appeared in your extraction site, you’re well on your way to the road to recovery! To ensure you’re protecting the clot while it heals, take the following precautions for up to ten days following your tooth removal:

Gently rinse your mouth out with a small spoonful of salt dissolved in a glass of warm water to kill any bacteria. Don’t forcefully spit out this solution as this can dislodge the clot and cause complications.
Continue to brush and floss your teeth but avoid the teeth adjacent to the extraction site.
Eat only soft, nutritious foods for won’t require you to chew. For more information about what to eat and what not to eat after tooth extraction, read our other blogs

After two weeks, we recommend visiting your dentist or oral surgeon for a check-up so you can get a professional opinion on how your tooth extraction site is healing.

If you experience any of the following worsening symptoms during the healing process, you should contact our emergency dental clinic in Mississauga and seek treatment promptly:

High fever, nausea or vomiting
A foul taste or smell from the extraction site
Dry socket

What is a Dry Socket?

Dry socket is a fairly common complication that follows a tooth extraction. According to Healthline, 1 to 5% of patients who have teeth removed get dry socket. It occurs when the blood clot that forms in the extraction site doesn’t properly develop. Dry socket is problematic as it may cause bone and nerve exposure.

You may have dry socket if:

You can see a visible bone in the socket, or your socket appears grey in appearance or empty-looking.
You’re in severe pain following your tooth extraction. This pain will radiate from the extraction site to your ears, eyes or temples.
You’ve lost your blood clot.
You have consistent bad breath or an unpleasant taste in your mouth despite brushing your teeth and practicing good oral hygiene.

If you’ve been monitoring your extraction site and you suspect you have dry socket, contact your trusted dentist or oral surgeon right away.

What Are the Signs of a Tooth Infection?

If you see white or yellow pus in your socket after the extraction, you should call your dentist as this is a sign of infection.

You should also look for out these signs of infection:

Worsening bleeding, pain and swelling for two to three days following your procedure
Fever
A bad taste in your mouth

While monitoring your socket, you may also notice food debris or leftover gauze in your extraction site. Unless these particles are causing pain, you can rinse your mouth with the saltwater mixture mentioned above to dislodge any food particles and prevent infection.

You also may also feel tiny pieces of tooth fragment emerging from the socket. This fragmentation is also not a cause for concern as any remaining pieces should come out on their own.

If you require wisdom teeth removal or tooth extraction in Mississauga, look no further than Rockwest Dental. Our experienced team of oral surgeons and dentists knows exactly what to look for when it comes to tooth extraction recovery. If you have any questions or concerns about an upcoming procedure, feel free to contact us!

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How do you know if your gums are healing after a tooth extraction?

Within 14-21 days, the hole will close, and your gums will heal. Keep in mind that large teeth, like the back teeth and wisdom teeth removal, takes the longest to heal. After a month, your tooth hole should be completely healed, and there should be no spicules or indentations.

What do infected gums look like after tooth extraction?

While it is normal for the area surrounding the extraction to be red and swollen, signs that could indicate a possible infection include: Pus: A white or yellow pus may be discharged from the socket. Swelling: Initial swelling is normal, but continued swelling could be cause for concern.