This differs with every patient and the different types of surgeries. Most people feel good enough to go back to school or work after a couple of days. Some people need a few days more to recover. Generally, single tooth extractions and placement of dental implants require at least 24-48 hours before you will feel ready to resume your daily activities. For wisdom tooth extractions, patients generally recover fully 3-5 days after surgery a routine wisdom tooth or third molar extraction. For third molars that are more impacted, the recovery period is typically 5-7 days. More complex procedures will need additional downtime.
Mouth and facial swelling will generally be at its peak in the first two to three days. After that, the swelling will gradually go down. Generally, the swelling will be 80% gone in five to seven days. Remember to carefully follow the instructions given to you on the day surgery, in order to heal as quickly as possible.
Yes, you can eat. You should try to drink or eat something before resting or taking your pain medication in order to avoid nausea. We recommend that you drink clear liquids after surgery(e.g. water, 7-Up, ginger ale, apple juice, etc.) and follow a soft food diet for a day or so, avoiding dairy and hot liquids and foods.
Do not panic. Your active rinsing will begin the day after surgery, and this will help remove any food particles that may be stuck. Before bedtime, you should brush your teeth and gently rinse out the toothpaste. This will most likely dislodge any food stuck in the extraction area.
Not all patients will have stitches in their mouth following surgery. This depends on the type of surgery performed. If you do have stitches placed, you will likely have to return to have them removed in seven to ten days. Sometimes the doctor uses stitches that will dissolve on their own after a period of time.
Post-operative nausea and vomiting may occur due to the after-effects of the general anaesthesia and/or the prescribed medications. Treat nausea the same as you would the flu, (e.g. start with sips of clear liquids like water, 7-Up, ginger ale, apple juice). If those stay down, then continue these fluids until the nausea has completely subsided. Also, it is best to stop taking the prescribed medications until the nausea has passed. If after the first few sips the vomiting returns, wait 2 hours and start the fluids again. If the pain is quite intense, you may take painkillers such as Ibuprofen. If you still feel nauseous after 24 hours, please contact our offices.