Succesful Wisdom Teeth Healing
How long does it take wisdom teeth to heal? Wisdom teeth healing differs from other teeth when removed because of their position in the mouth. Most wisdom teeth do not have enough room to fully erupt and need to be surgically removed. Understanding the wisdom teeth healing stages will help you prepare for surgery.
Table of Contents
How long does it take wisdom teeth to heal?
Around 10 million wisdom teeth are removed each year in the United States. Wisdom teeth healing is unique to every patient. How long does it take wisdom teeth to heal depends on several factors that can prolong the healing stages.
Common factors that impact the wisdom teeth healing stages:
- The number of wisdom teeth that need to be surgically removed
- The position of the wisdom teeth – are they facing upward or tilted toward the side?
- If the wisdom teeth have fully erupted, partially erupted, or stayed impacted
- Position of the nerves around the impacted wisdom teeth
- If there’s any present infection or inflammation in the gums around the wisdom tooth
Wisdom Teeth Healing Stages
24 Hours Post Surgery
The blood clot will begin to form. Some pain and discomfort are expected. Change the gauze as necessary, get ample rest, and keep your head elevated. It is normal to see some blood on the pillow. Facial swelling will peak around the 24-hour mark. Use cold compresses as needed for 10-20 minutes intervals. Maintain a soft food diet and avoid straws to avoid dry socket.
1-2 Days After Surgery
This is when the body does the bulk of the healing. Some bleeding is still common during this time. Swelling and discomfort will still be present. The jaw and facial muscles may also be stiff making them hard to move. Continue to avoid any suction motions and eat a soft food diet.
3 Days After Surgery
Bleeding should be resolved and tenderness will continue to decrease. Facial swelling will also continue to decrease. Using saltwater rinses will help soothe and promote healing. Maintain good oral hygiene in the rest of the mouth. Continue a soft food diet.
1 Week After Surgery
Around this time the blood clot is fully formed. Dissolvable stitches will be absorbing or a follow-up appointment will be made to remove traditional stitches. Continue to keep the recovery areas clean. Any consistent bleeding should be reported to your dental professional.
2 Weeks After Surgery
At this point, the wisdom teeth healing sockets will be almost complete. It is normal for the gum tissue to still be sensitive. Continue to keep the areas clean to avoid any infection in the gum tissue.
3-4 Weeks After Surgery
This is the end of the wisdom teeth healing. The holes will begin to close and gum tissue tenderness will decrease. It is important to remove any food particles that get trapped to promote healing and avoid any irritation.
Wisdom Teeth Healing Tips
How long does it take for wisdom teeth to heal? Providing an optimal healing environment can help decrease wisdom teeth healing time and increase comfort. Take Home Smile’s top tips for wisdom teeth healing are:
- Sleep: Get ample rest and don’t rush the process. The body’s immune system needs all the energy to heal the mouth.
- Diet: Stay hydrated and make sure you eat every day. It is important to nourish the body to have the nutrients to heal. Check out our article on What to Eat After Wisdom Tooth Surgery.
- Warm Salt Water: Rinsing gently with warm salt water several times a day throughout the first week will help soothe the gums and promote healing.
- Oral Hygiene: It is important to take your time cleaning the surgical sites. Maintain perfect home care in the rest of the mouth through daily brushing and flossing. The mouth contains millions of bacteria that can cause inflammation and increase healing time.
- Dry Socket: Maintaining the blood clot and avoiding a dry socket is important. Avoid using a straw, swishing rinses aggressively, making any suction, and no smoking.
- Listen to Your Body: With all dental surgeries, some discomfort, swelling, and pain are normal. If something feels abnormal, stop and contact your dental professional.
Our Wisdom Teeth Surgery Care Guide has more tips to help you prepare for post-operative healing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for wisdom teeth holes to heal?
Around 6 weeks after surgery the hole around a tooth extraction starts to close. It may take several months for the bone to fully fill in. Maintain good oral hygiene throughout this time and remove any food particles that may get trapped.
How can I make my wisdom teeth heal faster?
For all wisdom teeth healing, the body needs to go through the necessary stages. For fast healing, support your body’s immune system, keep the mouth clean, and follow our tips above.
How do I know if my wisdom teeth are healing good?
If your body is healing according to the timeline in this article, then your body is healing well. Strong wisdom teeth healing results in continued decreasing swelling, pain, inflammation, and pressure over time.
Take Home Smile Store
Visit our Take Home Smile store for educational brochures and other fun printables to help with oral hygiene. All products can be customized to fit your dental needs.
