What to Expect During Wisdom Tooth Extraction Surgery

One of the most common types of oral surgery is wisdom tooth extraction. The wisdom teeth are those found farthest back on the top and bottom of the gums. Many times these teeth must be removed due to the fact that they are difficult to clean and generally fall prey to tooth decay. Wisdom teeth may even come through the gums with partial decay present. Surgery is usually performed in the late teens to early twenties.

Outpatient Surgery

This oral procedure is an outpatient surgery that can take as little as forty five minutes up to an hour. The dentist requires that you do not eat for up to six hours prior to surgery. You're also to arrive with your teeth as clean as possible, this means brushing, flossing, and using an oral rinse. Cleaning your teeth properly cuts back on the risk of infection.

Any type of surgery can conjure feelings of dread or even fear in the patient, no matter how routine. In some instances if a patient is nervous the dentist will give them a low dose sedative in pill form. Some dentists call the pill a "happy pill" because it makes the patient feel more relaxed going into surgery.

Wisdom Tooth Extraction Surgery

Surgery begins once the dentist has administered a general anesthesia intravenously to the patient. This produces a state of total unconsciousness. Following surgery, depending on the height and weight of the person the sedative can wear off at different intervals for up to four hours.

The patient will feel no pain after awakening from the surgery. Mild to moderate swelling in the face can last up to one week. Swelling is controlled by ice bags placed on the cheeks and two ibuprofen tablets taken every four hours.

Patients may also experience slight bruising around the jaw line and cheeks. Depending on the fairness of the skin the bruising can be light to dark and last up to three weeks after. Bruising is perfectly a normal occurrence.

Pain medication is given to control the discomfort after oral surgery. This pain may last up to a week, but generally fades within four days if the patient tends to their mouth properly following the directions given by the oral surgeon.

The first several days are the most uncomfortable. Bleeding can occur for several hours after surgery, gauze is kept in the mouth to stop and control bleeding from the surgical wounds. Gauze should be changed as needed to keep the patient as comfortable as possible and reduce the risk of infection.

The Week after Oral Surgery

During the week following oral surgery a patient can usually only ingest soft foods such as soup, applesauce, and yogurt. Since eating habits change during the first week of surgery, one may experience little to no bowel movements. This will change once solid foods can be ingested.

Bed rest is vital for the first week following oral surgery. Keeping the head propped up at a forty five degree angle during this time ensures that swelling goes away more quickly. Use ice packs as often as possible to further aid in the reduction of swelling.

Avoid Dry Sockets

Drinking is important, but never with a straw due to the fact that dry socket can occur. Dry sockets are caused by sucking or blowing, like the motion caused by the use of a straw or a cigarette. Dry socket can cause severe pain, inhibit recovery time and will require another dental visit.

The Second and Third Weeks after Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Week two after oral surgery the patient should be able to eat soft things such as macaroni and cheese. The dentist will have stitched the gums with a dissolvable stitch. Some of the stitches will begin to disappear by this time, however due to the stitches jaw stiffness can occur. It's important to continue taking Ibuprofen as needed and placing heat on the jaws to relieve jaw stiffness.

The third week of surgery should see the patient able to open their mouth wider. Most soreness should be gone. Most bruising and swelling will have also disappeared, but the stitches may still be intact.

The patient will have another visit with their dentist between the second and third week post-surgery. The surgeon will evaluate the healing of the gums and instruct them on anything they may need to do to help the recovery process. However, by this time the patient should be fully recovered.