Our Abbotsford oral surgeon discusses what to expect after your wisdom teeth removal, and how long the recovery process may take.
Before your wisdom teeth removal, you will meet with your oral surgeon to discuss the procedure, and what will happen afterwards.
During this discussion, you’ll review the type of sedation you may undergo for your procedure. The option you choose will have some impact on your recovery experience.
Types of Sedation:
Local: Your oral surgeon will numb your mouth with a shot of Novocaine in your gums, so that you don’t feel anything. You may also inhale nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to relax, but you will likely feel alert again shortly after the procedure is complete.
IV Sedation: Your oral surgeon will numb your mouth and administer drugs intravenously to make you drowsy. You might sleep through the procedure.
General: You’ll get drugs either through a vein or via inhalation. You’ll be asleep during the whole procedure.
After the Procedure
Whatever sedation option you choose, take the rest of the day off work or school, so that you can rest and recover from your surgery, and allow the effects of the anaesthesia to wear off.
During your surgery, your oral surgeon may have to cut your gums to extract the teeth, and this may require stitches. These stitches usually dissolve after a few days.
Your oral surgeon may also stuff gauze pads in your mouth to help quell any bleeding. Typically, you should be able to remove the gauze about an hour or so after your procedure.
If you had local anaesthetic (numbing), you will probably feel normal and alert almost immediately, but if you had general anaesthesia, you may feel drowsy for a while. Make sure that a friend or family member drives you home. Some people experience very little or no pain after the procedure, but it’s normal to have some mild swelling or discomfort for up to three days.
To help manage swelling or discomfort during this time, you can use an ice pack on your jaw. Be sure to eat only soft foods that won’t irritate your wounds, such as soup, rice and pasta.
Avoid disturbing the blood clots that form as well; don’t rinse your mouth too aggressively, and only start brushing your teeth again after the second day.
Call our office If you have a fever or if swelling and discomfort lasts beyond three days