A tooth extraction involves irritating your gums and the underlying bone. Although your Tempe dentist is careful to avoid causing unnecessary trauma, your body recognizes this as an injury. Normal healing pain typically becomes noticeable after the oral anesthetic wears off.
What is considered “normal” pain is likely to last for about three days post-extraction. If you are more of the sensitive type, expect a lingering tenderness on the extraction site for longer. However, other reasons could cause pain after tooth extraction.
The amount of pain that a patient may experience during a tooth extraction often depends on the type and size of the tooth that needs to be removed. “After removing a big molar, it'll be more sore than a smaller premolar or incisor,” says our dentist Dr Tharaka Narayana.
After tooth extraction surgery, it's common to feel throbbing in the extraction area (known as the 'socket') as well as sensitivity. This is perfectly normal, and your dentist will likely prescribe some pain relief to help you minimise discomfort.
What is the most difficult tooth to extract? Impacted wisdom teeth are wisdom teeth that have failed to erupt properly. They are generally considered to be the most difficult teeth to extract.
It is generally harder to remove a tooth with multiple roots such as molars, especially if they have curved, crooked or hook-like roots. Aside from the obvious complications, the process of pulling the teeth may demand excessive force that may lead to tooth breakage or damage to the gum and jawbone.
Dry socket is pain and inflammation in the area where we have removed a tooth (extraction). You might have increasing pain, a foul (unpleasant) taste and bad breath. This usually happens 3 to 5 days after treatment. Dry socket is a common problem, but it is more likely if you smoke or take the contraceptive pill.
It is normal for post-operative pain to increase in the first 1-2 days along with swelling which usually peaks at about 48 hours. It is also normal in the case where four third molars have been removed for some sites to hurt more than others.
Throbbing pain during the first 24 hours post-extraction is a sign that your body is healing. Headaches, pain around the temples, neck or jaw and a sore throat may result from swelling and should subside within 1-3 days. Some temporary side effects of tooth extraction include: Bleeding.
When it comes to molar extraction, the healing time may be longer than any other tooth. In this case, it is the gum tissue and the jaw bone that need to heal. Therefore, you can expect the socket to heal completely after several months.
According to the American Association of Endodontists, patients who choose root canal treatment are six times more likely to describe it as painless than patients who opt for tooth extraction. After a root canal, the tooth and the surrounding area may feel sensitive for a few days.
It's usually recommended that you take a day or two off work after having a wisdom tooth removed. You won't need a sick note from your doctor or dentist for this.
Pain After Tooth Extraction
If you can take ibuprofen (Motrin® or Advil®), take 400–600 mg every 6–8 hours or as prescribed by your doctor. Ibuprofen will help with pain relief and as an anti-inflammatory. If you cannot take ibuprofen, then 1–2 tablets of regular Tylenol® should be taken every 4 hours.
In most cases, the pain or discomfort should have subsided after 7 to 10 days. Even though people's pain threshold and healing are different, the pain and the discomfort should decrease each day. There should be little to no pain by the time you get to five days.
Always sleep with your head elevated for the first few nights after the wisdom tooth extraction surgery. If you struggle to put yourself in that position, get support from a few pillows. Keeping your head elevated at a 45-deg angle while sleeping ensures faster recovery. It also minimizes swelling in the surgical area.
Expect some soreness from a surgical extraction for at least three days and, in some cases, up to two weeks. Some patients experience a slight increase in pain right around the five-day mark, but in general, you can usually manage this with over-the-counter medications.
3 Days Post Extraction
After about 3 days, the empty tooth socket will have mostly healed. There should be no more bleeding present, and swelling should be minimal at this point. You may still experience some tenderness or soreness, but you should no longer feel pain or discomfort.
How are teeth extracted? During an extraction treatment, the dentist usually numbs the area with lidocaine. Some patients may also need nitrous oxide gas to help them stay calm and reduce pain. Dentists use tools called elevators and forceps to enlarge the socket, loosen, and remove the tooth.
The entire process of pulling a tooth—from administering the anesthetic to applying stitches if needed—typically takes anywhere between 20-40 minutes. That said, the procedure will take longer if you require more than one tooth pulled.
The sutures appear as small yellowish-white knotted string near the areas where the teeth were removed. Although you may feel them with your tongue, it is best to leave them alone. The sutures are self-dissolving and will come loose and fall out. The time varies from person to person.
Implants are one of the most complex dental procedures, but this doesn't mean bad news. The dentist will numb the nerves of the area with local anesthesia during the process.
It has been generally accepted that mandibular molars are the most difficult teeth to anaesthetise, especially if irreversible pulpitis is present (1, 8).
Extracting or removing a tooth that has died is a relatively simple relatively painless form of treatment. You should expect to receive either local or general anesthesia for the procedure, depending on your preference or the recommendation of your dentist.
Don't rinse for the first 24 hours, and this will help your mouth to start healing. After this time use a salt-water mouthwash, which helps to heal the socket. A teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water gently rinsed around the socket twice a day can help to clean and heal the area.