5 Possible Wisdom Teeth Removal Complications

After the wisdom teeth removal, blood clots form over the extraction sites to help your mouth heal. Alveolar osteitis, or dry socket, occurs if this blood clot is dislodged, leaving the nerve under your gum exposed to air or food debris. Researchers surveyed over 1,200 patients who had teeth extracted and found that only 41 of participants experienced dry socket. Patients who smoked were more likely to get dry socket than those who didn't. According to the National Health Service (NHS), a dry socket can happen three to five days following wisdom teeth removal. Signs include throbbing or sharp pain at the extraction site. It's essential to contact your dentist or oral surgeon if you start to feel this sharp or throbbing pain so they can clean the extraction site and cover the exposed extraction site.

Pain and swelling are pretty typical after tooth extractions, especially within the first one to three days following your wisdom teeth removal. In a study in the American Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, researchers surveyed 101 patients who had their wisdom teeth removed. All of them reported feeling pain and swelling. Your surgeon or dentist may recommend over-the-counter pain medications or prescription pain medicine. If you're feeling severe pain or feeling moderate pain after a few days, contact your dentist's office. They may ask you to come in for an examination.

After a lengthy procedure like tooth extraction, you may experience temporary trismus, or restriction or discomfort opening your mouth. If jaw stiffness or trismus is prolonged, your dentist can prescribe a treatment such as heat therapy, pain medications, muscle relaxants, or jaw opening devices.