When Dr. Goehring has finished extracting your embrace orthodontics, sutures may be placed on extraction sites if necessary. Gauze pads will then be placed over the extraction sites to help a healing clot form. Patients may bite down on gauze to put some pressure on extraction sites. Gauze pads should be changed as they become saturated, and patients should remove pads before eating or drinking. Minimal bleeding may continue for around 24 hours until the extraction sites have clotted. If bleeding continues for more than 24 hours after your wisdom tooth extraction, be sure to contact your dentists or oral surgeon. Some quick tips to help ensure proper healing of extraction sites after surgery:
Avoid touching the extraction sites with your fingers or tongue
Do not rinse the mouth for at least 24 hours after surgery
Restrict your physical activity; no heavy lifting or exertion
Take all prescribed medications as directed by your doctor
Ice or cold-packs may be used in 20 minutes intervals to reduce swelling
Hot compresses or heat packs should be used after the first 24 hours
Recovery in the Days After Your Wisdom Tooth Extraction
After a healing clot has formed in the extraction sites, it is important to let them do their work and heal the empty tooth sockets. It is during this period of the wisdom tooth extraction recovery that the risk of dry socket is highest. The following points of advice should help the recovery go as smoothly as possible:
Dissolvable stitches may come undone after a few days, this is normal but be sure to report any bleeding that does not stop after several minutes.
Expect some discomfort, swelling, or bruising after your wisdom tooth extraction. Be sure to take pain relievers and all other prescribed medications as directed.
Keep the extraction sites clean. You may be given irrigation syringes to flush affected areas.
Carefully and gently brush and floss your teeth but refrain from mouthwashes that may contain alcohol.
Eat a soft diet to minimize irritation and risk of food getting stuck in extraction sites.
Avoid smoking; suction could cause healing clots to dislodge.
Do not use straws; again the healing clot could become dislodged and increase the risk of dry socket.
Take it easy! Vigorous activity and physical exertion could also dislodge healing clots.
Dry Socket After Wisdom Tooth Extraction
After a wisdom tooth has been extracted, the space left by the missing tooth should begin to form a healing blood clot similar to those that cover any wound on our bodies. This clot protects the exposed bone, gum tissue, and nerves in the extraction area. If this clot becomes dislodged or if it dissolves prematurely then dry socket, or alveolar osteitis, could develop where the wisdom tooth used to be. Dry socket is a painful condition that is marked by increasingly severe discomfort, delayed healing, exposed bone, halitosis, bad taste in mouth, throbbing pain which may radiate to the ear, head, neck, or temple areas. Smoking and tobacco use are associated with an increased risk of dry socket, and abstaining from tobacco use of all types following oral surgery is strongly recommended by Dr. Goehring at his Austin, TX dental practice. Following post-operative instructions closely will minimize the risk of developing dry socket after your wisdom tooth extraction. If you experience severe pain, extreme swelling of extraction sites, or any other symptom of dry socket, contact your dentist or oral surgeon immediately.
Contact Goehring Dental for a Free Wisdom Tooth Examination Today!
If you live in or near Austin, TX and you are concerned about your wisdom teeth and the problems they could cause, then Goehring Dental has the solution for you! Wisdom teeth can cause a variety of harmful dental problems even if they have already grown in! Dr. Goehring can gently and expertly remove your problem wisdom teeth and can prevent your wisdom teeth from permanently damaging your healthy existing teeth altogether. Don’t live with the pain and inconvenience of wisdom teeth! These vestigial teeth often cause more harm than good and can lead to painful or dangerous infections of the oral cavity. Contact Goehring Dental today, to schedule your no-obligation consultation from Dr. Goehring today!
