Wisdom ToothRemoval & Recovery
Our Approach to Wisdom Teeth Extractions & Aftercare
Wisdom ToothRemoval & Recovery
Our Approach to Wisdom
Teeth Extractions & Aftercare
Prepping for YourWisdom Tooth Removal
At Signal Tree Family Dentistry, we approach wisdom tooth extraction and recovery with care and expertise. We understand that this procedure may cause apprehension for some individuals, but we want to assure you that you’re in safe hands. With our experience and modern approach, we’ve successfully performed this procedure thousands of times, prioritizing gentle, patient-centered care to ensure your experience is as calm and reassuring as possible. Additionally, we routinely utilize Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) for wisdom tooth removal recovery, enhancing the healing process and promoting optimal outcomes.
Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) is a regenerative medicine technique that involves the extraction and concentration of platelets and growth factors from a patient’s own blood. During the procedure, a small amount of blood is drawn from the patient and then centrifuged to separate the platelets and fibrin from other blood components. The resulting PRF concentrate is rich in platelets, white blood cells, and fibrin, which play crucial roles in wound healing and tissue regeneration. PRF is commonly used in various medical and dental procedures to accelerate healing, reduce inflammation, and improve outcomes, including in oral surgery, periodontal therapy, and implant dentistry.
We provide oral sedation which makes for an easier experience in wisdom tooth removal or longer dental procedures. If you are a candidate for oral sedation, we will prescribe a few medications, to help you sleep well the night before and the morning of your procedure. Upon arrival we may give you another dose to reach an adequate relaxation level. While you will be awake and able to respond throughout the procedure, most people are very relaxed and don’t remember very much of the appointment. We have found this level of sedation very successful for our patients.
Frequently Asked Questions
We understand you might have concerns, so we’ve compiled the following FAQs to clarify your doubts and empower you to proceed with confidence regarding wisdom teeth extractions.
Why do we remove wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth are removed to alleviate pain, prevent infections, address space issues, correct misalignment, and protect adjacent teeth from damage like cavities or bone loss.
Are there potential risks associated with this surgery?
Yes, like any surgical procedure, there are potential risks, which may include infection, pain and swelling, trauma to surrounding tissue, damage to adjacent teeth, sinus complications, and temporary nerve issues such as paralysis or pain.
What is the expected duration of the procedure?
Typically, the procedure is completed within approximately one hour, ensuring precision and care throughout the process.
Prepping for YourWisdom Tooth Removal
At Signal Tree Family Dentistry, we approach wisdom tooth extraction and recovery with care and expertise. We understand that this procedure may cause apprehension for some individuals, but we want to assure you that you’re in safe hands. With our experience and modern approach, we’ve successfully performed this procedure thousands of times, prioritizing gentle, patient-centered care to ensure your experience is as calm and reassuring as possible. Additionally, we routinely utilize Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) for wisdom tooth removal recovery, enhancing the healing process and promoting optimal outcomes.
Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) is a regenerative medicine technique that involves the extraction and concentration of platelets and growth factors from a patient’s own blood. During the procedure, a small amount of blood is drawn from the patient and then centrifuged to separate the platelets and fibrin from other blood components. The resulting PRF concentrate is rich in platelets, white blood cells, and fibrin, which play crucial roles in wound healing and tissue regeneration. PRF is commonly used in various medical and dental procedures to accelerate healing, reduce inflammation, and improve outcomes, including in oral surgery, periodontal therapy, and implant dentistry.
We provide oral sedation which makes for an easier experience in wisdom tooth removal or longer dental procedures. If you are a candidate for oral sedation, we will prescribe a few medications, to help you sleep well the night before and the morning of your procedure. Upon arrival we may give you another dose to reach an adequate relaxation level. While you will be awake and able to respond throughout the procedure, most people are very relaxed and don’t remember very much of the appointment. We have found this level of sedation very successful for our patients.
Frequently Asked Questions
We understand you might have concerns, so we’ve compiled the following FAQs to clarify your doubts and empower you to proceed with confidence regarding wisdom teeth extractions.
Why do we remove wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth are removed to alleviate pain, prevent infections, address space issues, correct misalignment, and protect adjacent teeth from damage like cavities or bone loss.
Are there potential risks associated with this surgery?
Yes, like any surgical procedure, there are potential risks, which may include infection, pain and swelling, trauma to surrounding tissue, damage to adjacent teeth, sinus complications, and temporary nerve issues such as paralysis or pain.
What is the expected duration of the procedure?
Typically, the procedure is completed within approximately one hour, ensuring precision and care throughout the process.
Wisdom Tooth Recovery
Proper post-operative care following wisdom tooth extraction is crucial for a smooth and speedy recovery. It helps minimize complications such as infections, promotes healing, and reduces discomfort. Effective post-op care can also ensure that the benefits of the extraction are fully realized, leading to improved oral health and well-being.
Here are key steps to follow after a wisdom tooth procedure:
1. Apply Ice Packs
Inflammation and swelling will be at its peak on the 3rd day after your surgery. Use ice packs on the outside of your face to reduce swelling and bruising. Apply for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off during the first 24 hours after surgery.
2. Pain Management
Following this over the counter pain management protocol will help your post op experience by getting ahead of the expected inflammation. Beginning once you get home, take 600mg Ibuprofen (Advil) and 500-1000mg of Acetaminophen (Tylenol) in alternating fashion over the next 3-4 days.
Example:
Take Advil/Ibuprofen (600mg)
(*wait 3 hours)
Take Tylenol/Acetaminophen (500-1000mg)
(*wait 3 hours)
Take Advil/Ibuprofen (600mg)
(*wait 3 hours)
Take Tylenol/Acetaminophen (500-1000mg)
(*wait 3 hours)
–Continue this alternating schedule until pain improves.
3. Get Rest
Ensure you get plenty of rest and avoid strenuous activities for the first few days after your wisdom tooth extraction to promote healing. This approach helps prevent bleeding, reduces swelling, and accelerates recovery.
4. Maintain Oral Hygiene
Gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water several times a day after the first 24 hours to keep the area clean. Avoid brushing the surgical site directly for a few days.
5. Post-Op Menu
IMPORTANT: Cold foods are better than hot foods, and soft foods are better than hard.
Day One and Day Two:
*Food that don’t involve a lot of chewing.
Examples include applesauce, broth, cottage cheese, pudding, yogurt, pureed soup, oatmeal, protein shakes, and smoothies.
Day Three+
Begin to graduate to soft food.
Examples include bananas, eggs, avocados, ground beef, steamed vegetables, and soft potatoes.
Avoid During First Week:
Straws, anything with small seeds, popcorn, and anything that’s real chewy (e.g. Taffy, Dots, etc.).
6. NO Smoking, Straws, Sucking, or Spitting
Avoid using straws, smoking, or any sucking actions, like strong mouth rinsing, to prevent dislodging the clot in the extraction socket. Disrupting it can cause dry socket, a painful condition exposing bone and nerves, which delays healing.
7. Stay Hydrated
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, but steer clear of hot drinks like coffee or tea and alcohol for the first 24 hours. These can irritate the extraction site or disrupt the healing clot, leading to complications.
8. Check for Complications
Be alert for signs of infection or other complications, such as excessive bleeding, severe pain, or swelling that worsens after a few days, and contact your dentist if these occur.
9. Bleeding Afterwords Is Normal
After extractions we can expect pink or red in the saliva, and continued oozing for the rest of the day. It is normal to have some pink on the pillow the next morning so please use a towel. If you experience continued bleeding the best thing is to use a moistened tea bag (Earl Grey is best) and put it on the extraction site and gently bite for at least 30 minutes. The tea bags have tannic acids which actually help stop the bleeding. Whether using gauze or a tea bag avoid taking it in and out to check the bleeding because that will disturb the forming clot.
WisdomTooth Recovery
Proper post-operative care following wisdom tooth extraction is crucial for a smooth and speedy recovery. It helps minimize complications such as infections, promotes healing, and reduces discomfort. Effective post-op care can also ensure that the benefits of the extraction are fully realized, leading to improved oral health and well-being.
Here are key steps to follow after a wisdom tooth procedure:
1. Apply Ice Packs
Inflammation and swelling will be at its peak on the 3rd day after your surgery. Use ice packs on the outside of your face to reduce swelling and bruising. Apply for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off during the first 24 hours after surgery.
2. Pain Management
Following this over the counter pain management protocol will help your post op experience by getting ahead of the expected inflammation. Beginning once you get home, take 600mg Ibuprofen (Advil) and 500-1000mg of Acetaminophen (Tylenol) in alternating fashion over the next 3-4 days.
Example:
Take Advil/Ibuprofen (600mg)
(*wait 3 hours)
Take Tylenol/Acetaminophen (500-1000mg)
(*wait 3 hours)
Take Advil/Ibuprofen (600mg)
(*wait 3 hours)
Take Tylenol/Acetaminophen (500-1000mg)
(*wait 3 hours)
–Continue this alternating schedule until pain improves.
3. Get Rest
Ensure you get plenty of rest and avoid strenuous activities for the first few days after your wisdom tooth extraction to promote healing. This approach helps prevent bleeding, reduces swelling, and accelerates recovery.
4. Maintain Oral Hygiene
Gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water several times a day after the first 24 hours to keep the area clean. Avoid brushing the surgical site directly for a few days.
5. Post-Op Menu
IMPORTANT: Cold foods are better than hot foods, and soft foods are better than hard.
Day One and Day Two:
*Food that don’t involve a lot of chewing.
Examples include applesauce, broth, cottage cheese, pudding, yogurt, pureed soup, oatmeal, protein shakes, and smoothies.
Day Three+
Begin to graduate to soft food.
Examples include bananas, eggs, avocados, ground beef, steamed vegetables, and soft potatoes.
Avoid During First Week:
Straws, anything with small seeds, popcorn, and anything that’s real chewy (e.g. Taffy, Dots, etc.).
6. NO Smoking, Straws, Sucking, or Spitting
Avoid using straws, smoking, or any sucking actions, like strong mouth rinsing, to prevent dislodging the clot in the extraction socket. Disrupting it can cause dry socket, a painful condition exposing bone and nerves, which delays healing.
7. Stay Hydrated
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, but steer clear of hot drinks like coffee or tea and alcohol for the first 24 hours. These can irritate the extraction site or disrupt the healing clot, leading to complications.
8. Check for Complications
Be alert for signs of infection or other complications, such as excessive bleeding, severe pain, or swelling that worsens after a few days, and contact your dentist if these occur.
9. Bleeding Afterwords Is Normal
After extractions we can expect pink or red in the saliva, and continued oozing for the rest of the day. It is normal to have some pink on the pillow the next morning so please use a towel. If you experience continued bleeding the best thing is to use a moistened tea bag (Earl Grey is best) and put it on the extraction site and gently bite for at least 30 minutes. The tea bags have tannic acids which actually help stop the bleeding. Whether using gauze or a tea bag avoid taking it in and out to check the bleeding because that will disturb the forming clot.
Still Have Questions?
We prioritize your peace of mind and confidence as you prepare for your tooth removal. Feel free to contact us with any pre-op or post-op questions you might have. We’re here to support you every step of the way!
Still Have Questions?
We prioritize your peace of mind and confidence as you prepare for your tooth removal. Feel free to contact us with any pre-op or post-op questions you might have. We’re here to support you every step of the way!
