Wisdom Teeth Removal Recovery: Timeline & What to Expect

Understanding Wisdom Teeth Removal

What Are Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt into your mouth after all the other teeth. The third molars erupt at the back of your mouth.

Why Are They Removed?

Some wisdom teeth require extraction if there is insufficient space for them to erupt into an ideal position in each dental arch as well as perfectly into your bite.

How Do I Know If I Have Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

You may develop pain, ranging from mild discomfort to ongoing severe pain. It may be a sharp pain or a constant ache. You may get food caught around the third molar tooth or in the surrounding gum. You may experience a foul taste or a foul smell from the site. An OPG x-ray will provide a picture of the position of the impacted wisdom teeth in relation to other surrounding structures and may assist in planning for their removal under local anaesthesia or general anaesthesia.

The Wisdom Teeth Removal Procedure

How Should I Prepare for Surgery?

In order to prepare for surgery, you should have a clear understanding of the reason the surgery needs to occur, what the surgery involves and how to best prepare for an optimal recovery period.

What Does the Procedure Involve?

The wisdom tooth removal procedure may be undertaken under local anaesthesia or general anaesthesia. If the tooth is fully erupted into the oral cavity it may be a straightforward extraction; however, if it is impacted in some way, a surgical approach may be required. Your gum may be cut or your jawbone drilled, depending on the precise position of the wisdom tooth.

Removal Under Local Anaesthetic

More straightforward cases can be performed under local anaesthesia. You are fully awake, and LA is administered intraorally. The teeth can then be removed without feeling any pain.

Removal Under General Anaesthetic

More complex cases or patients who prefer to be put to sleep can undergo the oral surgery under GA. Intravenous sedation is another option in some cases.

Wisdom Teeth Removal Recovery Timeline

Day 1: The First 24 Hours

Rest, ice, warm salt water rinses, antibiotics, and painkillers. Proper care is required for the surgical sites in order to avoid further complications.

Days 2–4: Managing Swelling & Discomfort

Swelling peaks around 72 hours following surgery. The recovery process differs between individuals because, although it is a common procedure, each tooth extraction is unique, and each extraction site is too.

Days 5–14: Stitches & Final Healing

Stitches need to be removed 7-10 days following surgery. If symptoms are worse than predicted, inform your healthcare professional rather than waiting for this follow-up appointment.

Worst Day of Pain: What to Expect?

Pain can peak once the effects of the anaesthesia have subsided after wisdom teeth have been removed. Pain medication prescribed should be taken to prevent the buildup of pain. Each day pain should decrease until there is no point in taking pain medication.

What to Do & What to Avoid After Wisdom Teeth Surgery

Activity & Rest Recommendations

Rest, Do not do physical activity or exert yourself too much. Do not operate heavy machinery.

Oral Hygiene Tips for Faster Healing

Maintain good oral health, give yourself a mouth clean, and prevent excessive bleeding. If you have a bad taste in your mouth or any other warning signs, such as an infection in your tooth socket, or are unsure how long it takes to heal, then contact the dental practice because they may recommend that they inspect the extraction site.

Managing Pain & Swelling

Medications & Natural Remedies

If you experience more pain than expected after your wisdom teeth have been removed and recovery time feels delayed, then rinse your mouth gently without removing the blood clot, and contact the dental practice.

When to Expect Pain Relief

Depending on the complexity of the surgery to remove wisdom teeth, pain may range from mild to severe and take a shorter or longer time to heal. Most people are feeling much better within 7 days.

Complications & When to Call the Dentist

It's normal to experience pain and swelling following the surgical extraction of wisdom teeth; however, when healing does not go according to plan, it's time to call the dentist for possible intervention. If the teeth have already erupted in your mouth, they will be easier to extract than fully impacted or partially impacted wisdom teeth.

It will also depend on how many wisdom teeth are extracted during the procedure as well as if they were extracted under local anaesthetic or general anaesthetic. If four wisdom teeth are extracted, the healing process will be more complex than having just one wisdom tooth extracted.

The process of wisdom teeth extraction is surgical, and as such, you can expect to feel a certain level of postoperative discomfort and swelling.

Signs of Infection or Dry Socket

Signs of infection or dry socket could include pain and swelling around the socket, feeling hot, or appearing red in colour. A foul smell emanating from your mouth is also a sign of infection. If your blood clot has come out, you may experience a dry socket. This is more likely to occur if you smoke or your immune system is compromised. It is also more likely to occur in sockets of lower wisdom teeth than upper wisdom teeth. It is recommended that you use a warm salt water mouth rinse or else one that contains chlorhexidine.

With a dry socket, you can experience severe pain, and strong antibiotics and strong pain medication may be required. When recovering from wisdom teeth removal, it is recommended to not smoke, rinse with warm salt water, and take strong antibiotics and strong pain medication.

It is also recommended to have a soft diet so as not to injure yourself. Do not eat hard foods that require a strong biting force; foods such as mashed potatoes may be easier to swallow without excessive chewing. An ice pack is used on and off for the first 48 hours to help prevent the buildup of inflammation. It is recommended to gently rinse with warm salt water at least 3 times per day for the first 7 days.

When Should I Call My Dentist or Oral Surgeon?

If you believe that each and every one of the sockets in your mouth is not healing well, then it's time to call your dentist or oral surgeon. If the pain and swelling are not decreasing day by day, then you may have an infection that requires further intervention.

Some patients heal faster than others, and some more involved procedures will require a longer healing period than that of an easier extraction, so it's impossible to predict exactly how long it will take each patient to heal; however, in general, patients should be feeling much better within 7 days of the wisdom teeth removal.

FAQs

How Many Days Should I Take Off Work?

It is recommended to take 7 days off work in order to best recover from surgical extraction of 4 wisdom teeth. If you only have 1 tooth extraction, recovering from wisdom tooth removal may be easier as it is confined to 1 site within the back of your mouth.

Are 3 Days Enough to Recover?

It is safer and more conservative to recommend taking 7 days to recover from surgery without feeling pressure to return to work too soon.

How Long After Wisdom Teeth Removal Can I Eat Normally?

You should eat a soft diet for a few days following the oral surgery so as not to traumatise the healing surgical site. You also find it hard to open up wide or to crunch down with force, so you may have to eat softer food for approximately 1 week.

Can I Smoke or Drink Alcohol After Surgery?

It is recommended to not smoke following wisdom tooth removal so as to give your body the best chance to heal. Smoking increases the risk of a dry socket or any type of infection. It is also recommended to avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours following wisdom teeth removal because alcohol may interfere with the blood clotting process.

As well, some antibiotics interact badly with alcohol, so it is recommended to avoid alcohol whilst taking these medications.