After Extraction of Wisdom Teeth
Most of the time, the removal of wisdom teeth is done under local anesthesia, nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia, or general anesthesia. These available choices and the surgical risks (e.g., sinus complications, sensory nerve damage) is explained to the patient before the onset of the procedure. Once there is extraction of the teeth, the gum is sutured. To manage bleeding, bite down on the gauze put in your mouth. You will rest in the office until you are fit to go home. Upon discharge, you will be given postoperative instructions, a drug prescription for antibiotics and pain medication, as well as a follow-up appointment in seven days to remove sutures. For inquiries, call us at Gastonia Office Phone Number 704-865-7603.
We provide our services in a space that ensures optimum safety. We use state-of-the-art monitoring facilities, and we have experienced task in anesthesia processes.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER EXTRACTION OF WISDOM TEETH?
On a post-operative day 1, you may have some minor pain and bleeding. You are advised to protect your pillowcase to prevent bloodstain. Each person has an individual reaction to surgery, and the pain sensation can vary from mild to severe pain. You should expect a considerable quantity of swelling after the surgery. This swelling, most times, peaks on day 2 and should start reducing on the third day. You could apply ice for the whole of the first day to control the amount of swelling. The more ice applied on day 1, the lesser the swelling that develops on day 2. Kindly remember to apply ice on the postoperative day 1 even though it might be a discomforting activity. On day 3, a stiffening of your jaw muscle will occur, and it will be difficult to open your mouth regularly. With moist heat application on your face on day 2 and 3, your muscles relax more and open wider. Usually, it is better to get involved in lesser activities for a few days. We urge you to adhere to your post-operative instructions strictly. This enhances your comfortability in the first few post-operative days. Kindly allow your body to recover before engaging in academic, active social or athletic tasks. Most individuals feel fit and are steps toward recovery in 3 to 5 days.
CAN ANY PROBLEMS RESULT FROM THE EXTRACTION OF WISDOM TEETH?
Just like any medical procedure, unexpected results or complications can happen. These complications include:
- the affection of the sensory nerve that provides sensation to the tongue and lips
- dry sockets
- infections
- sinus communication
After the procedure, we will review your post-operative instructions along with your guardian. We encourage you to follow the given instructions, as they will be of great help to you after the procedure. If you were given sedation, you will feel at ease and drowsy when you exit our facility. Most people prefer to go and rest at home with no planned activities for a few days. Just like any medical procedure, there may likely be unforeseen circumstances such as infection, delayed healing, and post-operative numbness or feeling of tingling sensation in your chin, lip, or tongue. Our dentists are willing to go through your post-operative events with you and allay your fears during your office visit.
Injury to Sensory Nerve:
A significant concern is a nerve supplying sensation to the chin, lower lip, and tongue that lies within the lower jaw. This nerve is usually near the roots of the lower wisdom teeth. Extracting these teeth in the teenage years provide shorter roots so that the nerve is at a distance to the roots of these teeth. Sometimes, with the extraction of the teeth, especially in older patients, there can be damage to the nerve. When the effect of local anesthesia dissipates, you may have a numbing or tingling sensation in the tongue, lower lip, or chin. If this happens, it usually lasts a little while resolves gradually over the weeks or months. Rarely, it can permanently alter sensation, a feeling similar to using local anesthesia. We think that you should know about this side-effect before giving your consent to surgery.
Sinus Communication:
The upper wisdom teeth are located near your sinuses, and extraction of these teeth can lead to a space between your mouth and the sinus. Also, if the teeth are removed in childhood, the likelihood of root formation is reduced, and this complication is rare. Although, if this happens, it will eventually seal spontaneously, you may have to follow precise instructions, like avoiding blowing your nose for two or three days post-surgery. You can clean your nose, but we do not recommend you to blow your nose. If you must sneeze, do so with your mouth opened into a tissue. There should be no pressure in the sinus area, which may dislodge the blood clot. If you have a feeling of this occurrence after the surgery, contact us at Gastonoms. Another operation may RARELY be required to seal the opening.
Dry Sockets:
It is the most prevalent issue encountered after dental surgery. They stem from premature dislodging of a blood clot into the empty tooth socket. This usually happens more in people who smoke or use birth control pills. While there can be an affection of both jaws, they mostly happen in the lower jaw on the day 3 to 5 post-operative. It results in a dull, deep, continuous aching pain in the affected region. The pain may initially start from the ear and then radiate to the chin.
The symptoms usually start in the middle of the night, and may not be relieved by your pain medication. Your prescription may need to be changed. Sometimes placing a medicated dressing in the empty tooth socket is of great help. This act decreases the pain and protects the socket from food particles. The ability to wean the pain lasts for 24-48 hours, and you may require a change of dressing every day or alternate days, for five to seven days. We can remove dressings usually after you have been pain-free for 2 to 3 days.
The dressing does not help healing. The primary reason for dressing is to control pain. If the drug is controlling the pain, the socket will heal with no dressing. After removing the dressing, an irrigation system can prevent food particles from lodging in the site of extraction.
Infection:
Sometimes, post-operative infections happen. This usually requires a presentation at our office as well as a clinical examination. Most of the time, using antibiotics for a week resolves symptoms. If it continues, the region will need to be drained and disinfected. Other temporary issues that may occur in the post-operative time are stiffness of the jaws, sores around your lip corners, facial bruising, and oozing of blood from the removal sites. The post-operative instructions provided should relieve your concerns. If it doesn’t, put a call through to the office at our phone number 704-865-7603.