Care after wisdom-tooth surgery

Symptoms and care recommendations after the extraction of impacted wisdom teeth

Possible symptoms:

• Local pain that may last for up to 2-3 days;
• The swelling worsens in the first 48 hours, after which it returns to normal;
• Bruising of the cheek, if the extraction was more difficult;
• Mild fever on the second day (38 degrees);
• Difficulty opening the mouth and swallowing, which may persist for up to 5-6 days;
• Hypoesthesia or even anaesthesia of the lower lip, if the molar was in contact with or close to the mandibular canal;
• Blisters at the corner of the mouth, where the retractor was held.

Epithelial healing occurs within 25-35 days, while complete bone healing occurs within 6-12 months of the intervention.

Post-extraction recommendations:

• The diet in the first 24 hours should be soft, based on liquids, and cold (but not very cold);
• The compresses should be kept in place for 2 hours, after which they are discarded;
• Rinse your mouth on the day after the intervention with alcohol-free mouthwash or with saline solution;
• Take analgesics to combat the pain (Algocalmin, Ketorol, Paduden);
• Apply cold-water compresses to the skin in the respective region to relieve the swelling;
• After 2-3 days, perform gentle mouth-opening exercises to gradually return to normal opening;
• If necessary, take the prescribed antibiotics and return for a check-up after 48 hours;
• The sutures are removed after 7-10 days.