How Long Does Wisdom Teeth Surgery Take
Wisdom teeth are usually the last set of teeth that most people get in their mouth appearing in the late teens into the early twenties for some while others can appear later. Even though these teeth are necessary for the mouth, due to their size and how they grow, it can also lead to a source of discomfort giving a feeling of weightiness in the mouth but do you know how long a wisdom teeth recovery time is?
How long does wisdom teeth recovery take?
Recovery after extraction of a wisdom tooth takes anywhere from 5 days to 9 weeks depends on a lot of factors. However, recovery time depends on two factors – one is the length of time it took to remove the teeth and the difficulty encountered during the extraction process. The healing process should take longer if the alveolar nerve in damaged during extraction.
Dos and don’ts to help with wisdom teeth recovery time
After the procedure, you are able to leave the facility immediately if you underwent local anesthesia but will need help if general anesthesia was performed and since most recovery takes place in the home, we have a list of do’s and don’ts that will encourage wisdom teeth recovery time.
Do’s
- Take your medication as prescribed by the surgeon or when you feel the pain is unbearable
- Try to take in more fluid especially water or soft foods like noodles and soup that don’t involve chewing
- Use a hot compress if the jawline is swollen
- Practice opening and closing your mouth during the wisdom teeth recovery time
- Place ice packs on the exterior area of the extracted tooth to reduce the swelling and pain
- Do not swallow the saliva that gathers in your mouth but endeavors to spit it out
- Bit down hard on the gauze in your mouth after every change to lock it in place
- Take plenty of rest and stay away from overly noisy spaces to prevent headaches
- Start brushing your teeth from the second day or use a mouthwash or gently gaggle your mouth with a warm salt solution
Don’ts
- Avoid vigorously gaggling the mouth
- Ensure that you don’t remove the gauze place over the area immediately after surgery. The gauze is to manage to bleed
- Don’t perform any strenuous work moments after a wisdom tooth removal
- Don’t brush over the area to avoid injuring or inciting more pain
- Don’t worry about the blood clots; it is part of the healing process
- Don’t use a straw in drinking; this might loosen the blood clot causing more bleeding and discomfort
- Don’t eat foods that require you chewing as this might scratch your wound
- Avoid smoking or excess alcohol during wisdom teeth recovery time
When you should see a dentist?
For some people, it’s really nothing except for the feeling of an obstruction that is normally felt but in worst cases; the wisdom teeth are so misaligned and angled in such a way that they are more dangerous just been inside your mouth and are better out.
When your wisdom teeth aren’t properly aligned is causes a lot of problems. Poorly aligned wisdom teeth can affect the soft tissue around the teeth, the jawline, nerves, and adjacent teeth. They cause infection in the mouth which leads to swelling in the jaw, aches and pains, feverish conditions, inability to chew certain or all foods or tooth decay also affecting the adjacent tooth too.
Other signs that show that you need wisdom teeth removal are a foul smell in the mouth, abscesses, cysts, and benign growth and cellulitis. Most of these symptoms are easily treated with mouthwash or antibiotic recommended by a dentist.
If the problem persists, you have to book an appointment at a dental hospital for a complete checkup which includes having an X-ray. If your wisdom teeth are more of a problem with one or more of the above-listed symptoms observed, your dentist will recommend you to see a dental surgeon for a wisdom teeth removal procedure.
When is a wisdom teeth considered for removal?
When conventional treatments have failed, then a wisdom tooth is considered for removal. However, there are other reasons why you should consider it ASAP.
- When the tooth is just starting to come out of the gum but not fully out; this process affects the gum and can cause infection to spread into the gum
- The tooth is stuck in the underlying bone structure causing pain and discomfort
- The tooth has erupted fully but doesn’t have enough space for it to completely sit comfortably.
How long is wisdom teeth surgery
Wisdom wisdom teeth removal recovery time is an outpatient surgery operation; that is you step in and is out after the procedure as most wisdom teeth recovery occurs in the comfort of your home.
The procedure usually involves getting sedated on the area or if your wisdom tooth is more problematic after the x-ray; you are given general anesthesia which means you might spend some time to recover from the anesthesia. We recommend asking your surgeon the anesthesia you are getting just to know what reaction to expect afterward.
The procedure for removing a wisdom tooth
Your dentist is able to remove your wisdom tooth is the impaction is not great and will refer you to a qualified surgeon with your x-ray report for further analysis or removal.
Prior to the wisdom tooth removal procedure, the doctor explains the process and you sign a consent form
The local anesthetic is injected to numb the area surrounding the tooth. The patient usually feels the pressure as the tooth is rocked back and forth before been pulled off. In some instance, a small incision is made when the tooth has not erupted to ease the process or even broken off in bits and pieces if lodged in the bone.
All cuts are sewn and gauze placed over the area, this procedure takes 20 to 30 minutes with an experienced dental surgeon.
Do you need to remove your wisdom tooth? Are you afraid of the pain? Do you want a qualified and certified medical personnel, please book an appoint with us today?
Due to overwhelming demand, we are currently not accepting new cosmetic consultations until 2021. We thank you all for the support and we will let you know when we reopen our consultations with Dr. Jung.