How long it take wisdom teeth to heal

Wisdom teeth extraction can be performed using two methods. Simple wisdom tooth extraction is a procedure wherein the affected tooth is simply pulled out using special dental instruments. However, since the wisdom teeth are often lodged within the surrounding gum and bone tissues, they must be surgically removed by cutting into the jawbone. In either case, once the wisdom tooth is extracted, it leaves a hole where your tooth used to be. When patients are told they need a wisdom tooth extraction, one of their primary concerns is the recovery period — how long does it take the hole to close after tooth extraction.

The healing duration of a tooth removal depends on the tooth’s size and the number of roots within the tooth. Some of the front teeth are relatively small and contain only one root, so the hole may heal by the end of the first week. The holes from the extraction of larger teeth with multiple roots take several weeks or even months to heal completely. Finally, healing the hole from an impacted wisdom tooth takes even longer because the procedure involves removing the bone tissues around the wisdom tooth. As such, the surrounding jawbone and the hole from the wisdom tooth removal must heal completely, which may take around 6 weeks or more. 

How long does the pain last after tooth extraction? What is wisdom teeth extraction recovery like?

Wisdom tooth removal is a painless procedure because it’s conducted under local anesthesia. Your gums will feel numb for a few hours after the procedure because of the ongoing anesthesia effects. However, you may experience some pain and discomfort as the anesthesia starts wearing off. The dentist will prescribe painkillers and medications to manage the pain and discomfort to ensure you have a smooth and painless recovery process. The complete wisdom tooth recovery may take several weeks, but most of it will happen in the background without your active awareness.

The complete wisdom tooth removal recovery process can be divided into these stages:

  • Blood clots will form in the first 24 hours. At this stage, you must avoid spitting, rinsing, drinking hot beverages, or doing anything that may dislodge the blood clot.
  • The swelling in your cheeks and mouth will gradually dissipate over 2 to 3 days.
  • Your stitches will be removed at the end of the week.
  • Any remaining jaw soreness and stiffness will gradually fade away within 7 to 10 days.
  • If there’s any bruising, it will fade away in 2 weeks.

How to speed up the wisdom teeth recovery process?

Your primary concern during the wisdom teeth recovery process should be to preserve the blood clot. You need the blood clot to ensure a smooth and painless recovery because it prevents excessive bleeding, protects the wound from infection, ensures smooth tissue growth, and protects the exposed bone tissues from infection and damage. If the blood clot is accidentally dislodged, you may suffer from a painful condition known as a dry socket, i.e., the dislodged blood clot exposes your sensitive bone tissues and nerves.

How long it take wisdom teeth to heal

During the first 24 hours, you must take the following steps to ensure blood clot preservation:

  • Don’t brush around the extraction site.
  • Don’t rinse your mouth.
  • Don’t drink hot beverages.
  • Don’t eat crunchy, sticky, or grainy foods.
  • Don’t suck on straws.
  • Don’t smoke.
  • Don’t drink alcohol.

Besides the aforementioned tips, you must be careful about what you eat and drink for the first few days after the wisdom tooth extraction. You must avoid foods that may damage your wounds and instead maintain a diet of soft and liquid foods, such as soups, mashed bananas, jello, yogurt, eggs, etc. You must avoid sticky candies, hard foods, steaks, and anything that necessitates sucking or considerable chewing. You should also avoid crunchy or spicy foods, like crunchy vegetables, chips, nuts, etc.

Do some teeth heal differently after a tooth extraction?

In most cases, the wisdom teeth on the upper jaw heal faster than those on the lower jaw. The difference in healing time is mainly due to the higher density of the lower jawbone, which means it takes longer to achieve sufficient jawbone growth to replace the empty region.

Why pull out your wisdom teeth?

Wisdom teeth extraction is an extremely common procedure that most people need at some point. Removing the wisdom tooth is followed by a brief recovery period when the surrounding gum tissues and jawbone must heal, closing the gap left by the removed wisdom tooth. How long it takes for the hole to close after tooth extraction depends on several factors, but it’s usually more than 6 weeks. However, the recovery process is largely painless and comfortable. For more information, please schedule your wisdom teeth removal consultation

How long will it take for wisdom teeth holes to heal?

The gum tissue should close off the extraction site within a matter of days. Within about two weeks, there should be a smooth texture over the socket that matches the gingiva (gum tissues) surrounding it. Underneath the gingiva, however, it may be around a few months before the socket starts to close.

How can I make my wisdom teeth heal faster?

For speedy healing, oral surgeons recommend the following:.
Get plenty of rest and keep your head elevated..
Take your pain medication as directed..
Use ice packs for the first 48 hours, then switch to warm packs..
After 24 hours have passed, rinse your mouth with warm salt water several times a day..

Can wisdom teeth heal in 5 days?

Most patients have fully recovered by day 5, following the extraction. If you haven't progressed as outlined in the timeline above, it many be a good idea to consult your doctor, as you may experience a non-healing condition called Dry Socket.