How Long Does It Take to Recover from Wisdom Teeth Removal Surgery

May 2, 2019 by The Dental Home

Overview- Wisdom Tooth Removal Surgery in Gurgaon

Wisdom teeth, also knowns as third molars, are the last permanent teeth to appear in the mouth. These teeth usually grow at the back of our gums and are the last teeth to come through. Some people never develop wisdom teeth whereas for some others, these erupt normally, similar to their other molars and cause no problems. But many people develop impacted wisdom teeth with not enough room to erupt into the mouth or develop normally. If you are among the latter ones, you should make an appointment to see your dentist, especially, if these teeth are causing pain. The dentist can check using an X-ray and advise you if they need to be removed.

The day of your surgery

The wisdom teeth that have become impacted can often cause dental problems due to trapping of food particles and bacteria responsible for a buildup of plaque. If not removed, it can lead to tooth decay, gingivitis, or collection of pus (abscess).

On the day of your surgery, first you will be given a local anesthesia to numb the tooth and surrounding area so that you feel minimum pain during the procedure. In rare cases, sedative or general anesthesia may be given by the surgeon.

The extraction involves following steps:

  • If the tooth hasn’t come through the gum, the dentist will make an incision in the gum tissue to expose the tooth and bone. A small piece of the bone blocking access to the tooth may also need to be removed.
  • Since it is easier to remove the tooth in pieces, the tooth may be cut into smaller parts.
  • To remove the tooth from the small opening, the dentist may also widen the tooth socket by moving the tooth back and forth. You may feel some pressure during this step.
  • The site of the removed tooth will then be cleaned to remove any debris from the tooth.
  • A gauze will be placed over the extraction site to control bleeding.

Normally, the entire procedure shouldn’t take longer than 30-45 minutes. However, the duration may vary on the basis of the wisdom tooth’s placement and the patient’s response.

Long-term recovery

The wisdom tooth extraction surgery may cause bruising, swelling, and pain, which require time to heal. Some people require stitches to close the wound. The dental surgeon will usually remove these stitches after about 1 week.

Therefore, it can take up to two weeks to recover fully from the surgery. Although the recovery will be gradual, you can expect some improvement every day.

The healing process can be broken down as following:

  • First day: Blood clots will form which will help prevent bleeding and protect the wound from infection.
  • 2 to 3 days: Inflammation of the mouth and cheeks will subside.
  • At the end of 1 week: A dentist can remove any stitches, if any.
  • 7 to 10 days: Jaw stiffness and soreness will go away.
  • 2 weeks: Towards complete recovery.

Food to eat and foods to avoid

Eat soft food items such as noodles, pasta, eggs, mashed potato, yogurt and rice. You can have juices and soups along with these. One should avoid crunchy, hard and sticky foods such as nuts, seeds, bones or chips that may damage your wound.

If you are looking for Wisdom Teeth removal in Gurgaon visit The Dental Home today.