What Is the Healing Timeline for Tooth Extractions?

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Tooth extractions in Highland Village are among the most dreaded dental procedures in dentistry. The dental anxiety connected to the extraction procedure has to do with the anticipation of high pain levels during and after the treatment. Assuredly, dental extractions can be painful, but that is all in the past. In modern dentistry, a dentist near you administers local anesthesia in partnership with sedation dentistry to achieve a pain-free procedure when removing your teeth.

What Do Dental Extractions Entail?

They feature the permanent removal of natural teeth right from their roots. Since dentistry is anchored on the essence of preservation of natural teeth, you will quickly learn that dental extractions are procedures that are only performed on a need basis. Therefore, if you hear your dentist in 75077 recommending dental extractions, it means that the procedure is necessary to preserve the rest of your oral cavity.

When Are Tooth Extractions Necessary?

You will not have to determine for yourself when to have your natural tooth pulled out. Usually, a dentist near you will examine the state of your tooth before making this recommendation. Some of the reasons for dental extractions for permanent teeth include:

• Problematic wisdom teeth – wisdom tooth extractions near you are the most common types of dental procedures for adults. They feature the removal of the last set of molars, called wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth easily become impacted teeth when they grow improperly. It leads to part, or the whole tooth, remaining stuck underneath the gums, causing unnecessary pain when you chew. Aside from that, wisdom teeth can grow in the wrong direction, placing unnecessary pressure on adjacent teeth.
• Severe dental decay – when your tooth is severely decayed, saving it through dental procedures like root canals may not be viable. As such, removing the tooth will be more beneficial for your dental health.
• Overcrowding in your mouth – is a problem encountered in orthodontic dentistry, where the number of teeth in your mouth is too big for the space available in your jawbone. It, therefore, causes malpositioning of your teeth. To correct this, before you can wear braces, a dentist near you will recommend removing one or two of your teeth. It will create more room in your mouth for the rest of your teeth to align properly.

How Long Does an Extraction Wound Take to Heal?

A tooth extraction wound will fully heal in about 3-4 weeks. Usually, it depends on the type of tooth extracted. For instance, molars take longer to heal than incisors. Other than that, how you care for your mouth after your treatment will affect how quickly the wound heals.

The first 24 hours after the extraction procedure will be marked by soreness, especially once the numbing wears off. Your dentist will prescribe some painkillers to help manage the discomfort. These first few hours are crucial because blood clotting is happening, which will begin the healing process. In fact, your dentist will ask you to keep the gauze on your wound for a few hours before changing or removing it.

The first 2 or 3 days after your procedure are a bit different from the first 24 hours. Although you may still feel sore, the discomfort dies down as your wound continues to heal. The flesh wound will have mostly healed, without any bleeding or significant swelling on the extraction site. At this point, it may be okay to brush and floss your teeth, but cautiously to avoid the extraction site.

After a week of healing, much of the healing will have occurred. Any dissolving stitches you had in the wound will disappear. If not, the non-dissolving stitches have to be removed by your dentist. Once the clot is fully formed and, the stitches are no longer on your wound, you should be at about week 2 of recovery. At this stage, the bone tissue of your mouth is partially healed, which is why it may still feel tender. You will want to be careful about eating hard food or being too harsh when brushing your teeth around the extraction site.

The final 3rd and 4th weeks will ensure complete healing of both your jaw and gums. You will have mastered enough about caring for your mouth to avoid disrupting the healed site in your mouth.