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110-2627 Shaughnessy St.,
Port Coquitlam, BC
There are so many benefits to having your wisdom teeth removed. Improved oral health, a straighter smile and future prevention are all key reasons why many of our patients choose to get their wisdom teeth removed.
If you are looking into wisdom teeth removal surgery, it’s important to know the details of the procedure, as well as how to have a safe recovery.
Wisdom teeth removal is a fairly large surgery. Whether you are having one of your wisdom teeth removed, or all four, it’s best to know what to expect ahead of time. Let’s explore the procedure itself, as well as healing time and aftercare procedures.
Your dentist will go over the procedure with you in-depth, so you will know exactly what to do on the day of your surgery.
Typically, this procedure only requires local anesthesia but in some more rare cases, general anesthesia is used. This means that on the day of your surgery, you will need a friend or family member to drive you. It’s also important to avoid eating or drinking 6h before the surgery.
Wisdom teeth removal is a day surgery and only takes 30-60 minutes. However, we suggest taking the day off, as rest will be important for your recovery.
During the surgery, your dentist will carefully remove each tooth. In some cases, because wisdom teeth are so large, they have to be removed in parts. When this happens your dentist will break the tooth into 4 parts and remove each segment.
Your comfort is most important during your surgery. Our dedicated team will ensure you feel relaxed and safe for the entire time.
After your treatment, it’s important to rest and let your body heal. Once the anesthetic numbness wears off, you will experience swelling and pain, which is normal post-operation.
The healing time for wisdom teeth removal usually takes a minimum of two weeks. During the first 2-3 days you will notice some swelling in your gums and cheeks. After 7 days your dentist will see you again to remove your stitches.
Throughout days 7-14 you may have some mild bruising and swelling still but any jaw stiffness and pain should subside. If you have not noticed considerable improvement after two weeks, it’s important to check in with your dentist and let them know your existing symptoms.
The first few days after your surgery, you may not feel particularly hungry, but it is still important to eat nutritious foods to help you recover. With the stitches and swelling, you will need to stay on a liquid diet for the first 2-3 days.
This gives your gum tissue some time to heal and it prevents food from getting into the wound. Also note that it is best to avoid any hot foods such as soups. These can cause bleeding around the recovery gum tissue and you also risk burning your mouth. Wait for hot foods to become room temperature before eating them.
Here are some options for meals during the first few days after wisdom tooth extraction:
After the first few days you can start to re-introduce more solid foods to your diet. These include:
After a minimum of seven days, you can start to return to your normal diet, but you are still recovering so it’s best to avoid hard or crunchy foods for at least 2 weeks.
Depending on the amount of teeth you had removed, as well as how extensive your surgery was, your dentist may or may not prescribe pain relievers after your surgery.
In most cases, you can manage pain and swelling yourself by taking over the counter painkillers such as Ibuprofen.
Another excellent way to reduce swelling is to apply an ice pack to your jaw and cheek every 20 minutes. This is a fast way to take down swelling without extra medication.
Mild to moderate swelling is normal after wisdom teeth extraction, and mild pain and bleeding is also common. However, if you experience additional symptoms or excessive pain, it could be a sign that something is wrong.
Here is what you need to look out for while you are recovering. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your dentist immediately for emergency care.
These symptoms are very rare and they do not happen in most cases, but it’s good to be aware of them so that you know what to do in these situations after surgery.
Our dedicated team has over 30 years of industry experience performing wisdom teeth removal surgeries in Port Coquitlam, BC.
We use advanced technology and extraction techniques to ensure you have a safe and comfortable experience before, during and after your procedure.
If you are looking to have your wisdom teeth removed, contact us today to book your initial consultation. Our dentists can help to answer any additional questions you may have about the surgery.
