Wisdom Teeth Series: Recovery Basics

Posted in Dental Insurance , Health Insurance

October 3rd, 2009

There are many myths and misconceptions about wisdom teeth, how they’re extracted and how we recover from them. You hear all kinds of horror stories about them, and after awhile it’s hard to tell what’s true, what might be true, and what’s more likely to be an urban myth. The basics of wisdom tooth extraction and recovery, however, are fairly simple to grasp.

Extraction Basics

When a dentist determines that a wisdom tooth must be removed, he or she will anesthetize the patient so that they can’t feel anything. This is usually achieved with an injection of Novocaine. But even before the injection, a small amount of a topical anesthetic is rubbed onto the appropriate spot on the gum. Soon the area to be operated on is numb. The dentist will then go in and remove the wisdom tooth, usually with forceps or other dental tools with strong grips.

Planning for Recovery

Because wisdom teeth can be extremely troublesome to remove, people need to take the recovery process seriously. Gums need time to heal properly, and this usually means several hours with gauze placed over the hole where the wisdom tooth used to be, followed by light use of the mouth in general for at least a few days, if not a week. During this time the swelling that wisdom teeth extraction is famous for must take its course. If the swelling doesn’t go away, or goes away but then comes back, contact your dentist. In terms of costs, most dental insurance policies will cover all or some of the cost of removing wisdom teeth. This will vary between dental insurance providers, so be sure to check with your provider to verify what’s covered and what’s not.

Recovery Tips

Here are some extra things to consider while you recover:

• Be prepared to eat only soups and soft foods like mashed potatoes for a few days
• Cold treats like ice cream and pie and help with the pain
• Bleeding can be persistent for the first week
• Swelling can be persistent for the first week
• Avoid licking or touching the area where your wisdom teeth were removed
• Do not allow any excess sucking action to occur, as clots can be dislodged causing pain and dry socket
• Do not drink anything through a straw as dry socket can occur
• Take your medications on time – stay ahead of the pain
• Ask your dentist questions if anything seems out of the ordinary