How Long Does It Take The Hole To Close After Tooth Extraction

Tooth extraction is a surgical procedure by which the tooth is removed from the alveolus, that is the cavity in which it lodges.

The tooth is subjected to extraction when its permanence would cause greater damage. The tooth is extracted only when necessary, if it cannot be saved or cured by conservative methods such as devitalization, filling or apicoectomy.

For wisdom teeth the situation is different: the third molars can also be extracted for preventive purposes to avoid possible future disorders.

However, when the tooth is extracted, the removal leaves a temporary space, a real hole after tooth extraction. It will be in your interest to try to always keep the open gum clean after extraction and the hole and make sure that the food does not end up on it. To keep the pain under control, the dentist usually prescribes painkillers. To learn more about healing times after tooth extraction, all you have to do is continue reading.

What is tooth extraction and what does it consist of?

In the first place it is right to address the fundamental issue to understand what we are dealing with. What is tooth extraction and what does it consist of? In these cases we are talking about a real surgery : removing a tooth means eliminating an element from the patient’s mouth and the basic reasons may be different.

A tooth is extracted when it has been damaged by caries so badly that any other type of treatment is impossible. Or maybe when it creates problems of overlapping with other teeth for which the same application of an orthodontic machine involves its extraction in order to align the teeth correctly.

If the tooth has severe periodontal problems that make it impossible to save. We often talk about the extraction of wisdom teeth when they grow crooked and endanger the health of the sevenths which can, for example, become decayed or even compromise the health of the patient, such as when a disodontiasis of the lower third molar is established. In all cases the avulsion of a tooth is a traumatic event for the patient. And as such it should also be considered by the dentist. Extraction must always be the last possible solution.

Simple and surgical tooth extraction

A tooth can be extracted in two different ways:

• simple extraction
• surgical extraction

Simple extraction is the most common avulsion surgery. It is performed on a clearly visible and completely erupted tooth through the gum. The dentist, after having performed the anesthesia of the problematic tooth, extracts the tooth with special tools, such as an elevator and forceps.

The second avulsion surgery is the more complex one, performed on teeth that are included or not easily accessible (because they are still partially or completely covered by the gum). Surgical tooth extraction requires a careful and precise preliminary incision on the gum, which is essential to create an entrance from which to access the tooth more easily.

It is not uncommon for a particularly difficult dental element to be extracted to require the removal of some bone fragments confined to it. In these cases, the problem tooth can be divided into several sections to facilitate its avulsion. The operation can be performed under local anesthesia (in the dental office) or general (in a hospital setting).

What to do after tooth extraction?

in the 24 hours following the surgery:

• Sleeping with your head raised on a pair of pillows is an effective remedy for pain and gum bleeding after a wisdom tooth has been extracted.
• Avoid rinsing in the first 24 hours to avoid bleeding-
• To prevent or plug any gum bleeding, it is recommended to hold wet gauze or other sterile tissue in the area of ​​tooth extraction for at least 30 minutes.
• Check the degree of gingival bleeding only after 30 minutes from the placement of the sterile gauze on the wound left by the extraction of the tooth. It is recommended to wet the gauze with mouthwash.
• Take painkilling-anti-inflammatory drugs before the effect of the anesthesia wears off. Ibuprofen is particularly indicated to keep pain at bay: it is recommended to take the drug by mouth at a dose of 200-400 mg (tablets, effervescent sachets) every 4-6 hours after meals, as needed. Do not take more than 2.4 grams per day.
• Making Ice Packs. In the first 5-6 hours after tooth extraction, it is recommended to keep an ice pack (wrapped in a soft cloth) on the face near the affected area. Apply ice every 10-15 minutes with a pause of at least 10 minutes.
• If your dentist has prescribed an antibiotic, take it following your doctor’s instructions. The antibiotic can only be taken with a doctor’s prescription.
• Avoid driving the car immediately after the extraction: it is advisable to be accompanied by a family member or friend, especially if the tooth or tooth extraction operation has been invasive or complicated

In the days following the dental extraction

• Adequate rest in the days following the extraction promotes complete recovery in less time
• Gently rinse the mouth with disinfectant mouthwashes (eg chlorhexidine 0.2%) only 12-24 hours after the extraction of the tooth or the teeth or the tooth of the joke. Continue rinsing for at least two weeks after the operation: it is advisable to rinse the mouth – with a quantity of solution that can contain a measuring cup – for at least one minute. Do not swallow the product.
• Contact the dental office if the pain persists even after 3 days after dental surgery
• Proceed with normal oral hygiene, 3 times a day, with extreme delicacy in the dental extraction site. Prefer the soft-bristled toothbrush.
• You can support normal mouth hygiene with salt and water rinses: a tablespoon of salt in a glass of previously boiled water, the water must be lukewarm. 4 times a day
• When necessary, blow your nose gently to prevent exertion from promoting gum bleeding

What not to do after tooth extraction

• Do not drink alcohol
• Do not smoke or chew tobacco (abstain for at least 7-10 days after wisdom tooth extraction)
• Sucking at the extraction site: such behavior extends the healing time of the wound and increases the risk of infection
• Do not touch the wound with your hands, especially if dirty (hands are a source of bacteria)
• Avoid using a hard bristle toothbrush
• Chew gum or gummy candies in the 3 days following tooth extraction
• Chewing solid food: such an attitude increases the chances of infection because solid food particles can get stuck in the still open wound, opening the doors for bacteria to enter
• Taking drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid or salicylates in general (they could interfere with clotting)
• Use the electric toothbrush for dental cleaning: it is strongly recommended to avoid using the water jet until the gum has healed completely in the area where the wisdom tooth was extracted
• Practicing sports or other strenuous physical activity within three days after a wisdom tooth extraction.

How long does it take the hole to close after tooth extraction?

To understand the healing times after tooth extraction should be considered that bleeding often occurs within the alveolus after surgery. This blood very quickly turns into an important clot in regard to wound healing. Usually in the first 6 or 7 days following the surgery a white tissue is created which suggests the formation of new tissue and the correct healing of the wound.

Subsequently, the gum will cover the wound step by step and within a maximum of 6 months the healing can be said to be 100% complete. If the goal is to reduce the healing time after tooth extraction, it is highly recommended to take some precautions in the post-extraction period. The advice is therefore not to smoke, not to drink alcohol, do not suck at the extraction site and try to limit the consumption of solid foods as much as possible. At least in the days immediately following the operation it is also advisable to limit sports practice as much as possible so as to further shorten tithe healing times after tooth extraction. If you want to know how to deal with post-extraction gum, it will be completely normal to see an increase in swelling at least in the first 2 or 3 days after extraction.

However, this swelling usually tends to go away on its own within a week. The hole after tooth extraction could represent an aesthetic problem for the patient but you will be able to sleep peacefully as the hole will usually fill itself within a couple of weeks after the extraction.

In short, by applying the advice of dentists and using mouthwash in the post-extraction phase , healing times after tooth extraction can be reduced.also significantly. In case of problems after a week, all that remains is to go to the dentist to understand the cause of the problem and study possible solutions.

FAQ

Is it painful to extract a devitalized tooth?

Absolutely not. The anesthesia is the same as that used to extract a vital tooth and is equally effective.

Can an inflamed tooth be removed?

Always try to save your teeth whenever possible. If a tooth is to be extracted and the surrounding tissues are inflamed, you can still proceed with the extraction, taking care to use more efficient anesthetics and anesthesia techniques as not all anesthetics are effective if we have inflammation.

Tooth extraction with infection below: possible?

When an acute infection is present, it is not advisable to extract the tooth immediately. In these cases, antibiotic therapy should first be performed to control the infection and avoid the onset of complications.

Does it hurt to remove a decayed tooth?

It does not hurt to extract it because anesthesia is used. However, we must know that decayed teeth can almost always be treated even when the tooth is totally destroyed. For example, if caries extend under the gum, a small apical repositioning flap can be performed which allows the treatment of even the most difficult caries.

Do you need anesthesia?

Normally yes. Although there are cases in which the milk tooth is now very mobile and is about to fall, the discomfort of a quick removal of the milk tooth without anesthesia is less than the discomfort that one would try to have an anesthesia.

Can a moving tooth be extracted?

The extraction of a moving tooth is apparently very simple. The problem, however, is not to extract the tooth but to carefully remove the infection that we have around the tooth. If the infection is not completely removed, we risk not having a bone to be able to insert implants later.

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