How soon will the hole heal after tooth extraction?

Usually, the healing of the hole after tooth extraction occurs painlessly and does not cause any sensations in the patient. It would be good if everyone knew how this process works and how to speed it up.

Proper oral care after tooth extraction and following all the dentist’s recommendations will help speed up the healing of the hole and avoid complications.

How long does it take for gums to heal after tooth extraction?

Tooth extraction can be emergency or planned, but in each case healing occurs the same way.
Extraction of the organ is carried out when it is not possible to preserve the crown, in case of severe inflammation, or in advanced periodontal disease. The operation is performed under anesthesia, so there is no pain during removal. Unpleasant symptoms appear after the end of the dentist’s visit. The gums in the area of the removed organ hurt, but normally this goes away after seven days.

When the gums still hurt seven days after the tooth extraction is completed, and the inflammation does not subside for a long time, this indicates a complication. The most common consequences of organ extraction are alveolitis, bleeding, fracture, and injury to the socket.

How many days does it take for the socket and gums to heal?

During a complex operation, the dentist may damage the jaw or push the tooth root into the maxillary sinus. If you do not seek help from a dentist for a long time with such complications, even more terrible conditions appear - gumboil, cyst, osteomyelitis.

Complete healing of the gums after tooth extraction occurs within several weeks. All this time, the mucous membrane hurts a little, but is simply anesthetized with local drugs.

The healing time of the hole is personal for each patient. Recovery takes a long time if care recommendations are not followed. The gums after tooth extraction do not heal even after a couple of weeks, if an infection was introduced during the operation or after the end.

The gum heals in 14 days, and complete restoration of the socket occurs in six months.

What complications can tooth extraction lead to?

Normally, restoration of injured tissue occurs within three weeks. The red, inflamed gum gradually acquires a pale pink color and ceases to be painful on palpation. But if a person has diseases that prevent rapid recovery, or he does not comply with doctor’s orders, then the rehabilitation process can be difficult. Then the patient will face complications, including:

hematoma;
severe swelling of the soft tissues of the cheek;
frequent bleeding from the wound;
numbness of the tongue, cheeks, lips;
pain while eating.

If the healing of the hole is in doubt - a person thinks that something is going wrong - he should immediately consult a doctor. The doctor will conduct an examination and tell you whether you need to use any drugs to speed up regeneration.

Why does the hole take a long time to heal?

Epithelization of the gums after the operation begins after a couple of days, and a white coating appears on it. Now it doesn’t hurt so much anymore, and there are no signs of inflammation. At this time, it is better not to touch the mucous membrane, but just continue to properly take care of the hole. It may not heal for a long time due to the patient’s personal quirks, at a time when there are diseases of the circulatory system or chronic inflammatory processes in the body.

If your gums hurt very badly after seven days, this is possible:

Dry socket or alveolitis - this complication often appears when the rules for organ removal are not followed, while part of the crown or root remains in the socket. Under such conditions, the blood clot, which should protect against infection, falls out. This complication much more often begins on the 5th day after the end of the operation. Common symptoms are gum discoloration, unpleasant odor, halitosis, soreness, slight bleeding;
Chronic bleeding - this complication is observed in people with hypertension and in the case of blood diseases. This may result in alveolitis. Before sending the patient home, the dentist stops the bleeding and places a hemostatic sponge on the hole;
A fracture or dislocation of the lower jaw is a rare complication that occurs more often during the removal of a wisdom tooth; the risk increases if there is a cystic formation or acute inflammatory process in the root area;
Perforation of the maxillary sinus is possible as a result of complex removal of chewing teeth in the upper jaw.

If the hole hurts for a long time, and it does not go away after seven days, you should immediately consult a doctor. It is forbidden to cope with complications that appeared during the removal on your own. Apart from this, there is no way to prevent them, so first aid is provided immediately after the procedure is completed.

Complications due to improper care, which slow down gum healing, can be prevented on your own.

Causes

Tooth granulation can lead to the formation of granuloma for various reasons:

Unsuccessful removal, after which a necrotic area of the apex of the tooth root remains in the gum.
Chronic jaw diseases in which sequestration is formed. In this case, gum granulation forms around them.
Pulpitis and a rapidly spreading infectious process in the gums.
Injuries that provoke the development of a focus of inflammation, resulting in the formation of a granuloma.

Since granulation tissue grows rapidly, it begins to replace cells that have died as a result of injury or inflammation. Therefore, it is very important not only to stop the infection, but also to carefully scrape out the cavity.

What to do after the extraction is complete

It is possible to realize that the hole is healing correctly on the 3rd day. The gums hurt moderately, and a white coating appears on it. It is extremely important not to remove it, since it is new epithelium. After 2 weeks, the onion should be completely covered with granulation tissue. After a month, bone tissue begins to regenerate in the entire socket. After 50 days, bone tissue fills the entire hole. And only after five to six months the hole is completely healed and does not differ from other bone tissue.

The gums will recover faster after tooth extraction is completed if you follow easy recommendations.

In the first days after surgery, minor bleeding may occur. Under such conditions, you need to take a small piece of cotton wool or gauze, soak it in hydrogen peroxide, and apply it to the hole. It is much better to go to the pharmacy immediately after removal and buy a hemostatic sponge. A small piece must be applied to the hole; it will dissolve on its own.

Do not rinse your mouth for the first 24 hours.

It is necessary to avoid warm foods and drinks, and not to take alcohol or blood thinners. It is possible to numb the wound with drugs such as Nimesil, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol. While brushing your teeth, you must avoid moving the bristles near the removed organ. If bleeding starts unexpectedly after a couple of days, you should immediately go to the doctor. This also applies to those cases when the pain is not relieved by simple analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs.

On the third day, it is already possible to start rinsing the oral cavity with warm antiseptic solutions and herbal decoctions. This will speed up the healing of the hole and prevent inflammation and infection of the wound. For a couple more days you need to refrain from heat, sports, saunas, baths.

Some medications can have the opposite effect, leading to bleeding, so the medication must be coordinated with the dentist. Before removing the doctor, it is imperative to give a warning about concomitant and previous diseases. Tooth extraction has contraindications, and if they are missed, complications cannot be avoided.

Is it possible to smoke?

It is difficult for smokers to give up their habit due to the fact that with the help of a cigarette they get an imaginary release. But this should not be done after surgery, at least in the first hours. Cigar smoke contains tars and chemical components that irritate the surface of soft tissues.

After smoking, bleeding is provoked, pain increases, which slows down the healing of the hole. In addition, the risk of infection and complications increases.

When to see a dentist

A visit to the doctor should not be delayed in the following cases:

Initially or after a couple of days, a blood clot falls out;
A purulent lump appears in the area of the hole;
The pain does not go away for a long time and inflammation appears;
The entire jaw begins to ache, radiating to the temple and eye areas;
There is a constant iron taste of blood in the mouth;
Pain appears in the area of the adjacent tooth;
Within 5 days the gums are not covered with white plaque.

If you are worried about your teeth, you will be helped at the Doctor-RAF Dental Clinic (Almaty, Muratbayev St., 101). Our highly qualified specialists will help you solve all your dental problems.

During the operation, a neighboring organ may be damaged. This will manifest itself as symptoms of pain, and perhaps the tooth will begin to loosen.

Complex removal will require additional care and the use of bactericidal drugs, but only those prescribed by the dentist. Self-prescribing antibiotics is prohibited. An exception would be local gels and ointments, which are available without a prescription and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

8 reasons why the hole does not heal after tooth extraction, ways to speed it up.

After tooth extraction, it seems that the worst is over. However, this is a surgical operation that does not exclude the possibility of complications, especially if you do not follow the doctor’s recommendations. What to do when the hole does not heal?

Conservative treatment

For granulomas, conservative treatment is more often used. It consists of mechanical treatment of the root canals. After this, they are filled with temporary healing material - pastes based on calcium hydroxide. After 2-3 weeks, a control image can be taken, and if the inflammation is eliminated, the canals are filled with a permanent material - gutta-percha. A new permanent filling is placed on the crown of the tooth.

There are two treatment tactics depending on the initial condition of the tooth.

1. Treatment of granuloma of a tooth in which the root canals are not filled. In this case, treatment involves the following steps:

removal of carious tissues, old filling on the crown, if any;
mechanical treatment of canals - with the help of special tools they expand, the walls are smoothed;
antiseptic treatment of canals.

Further actions depend on the size of the granuloma. If it is small, up to 3 mm, simultaneous filling is allowed. If the formation is more than 3 mm, then the root canals are filled with temporary paste. It helps the granuloma shrink or disappear completely.

You will have to wear temporary material for no more than 3 weeks. At the end of the period, the doctor will order a repeat x-ray, and if he sees positive dynamics, he will fill the root canals with permanent material. The restoration of the tooth crown is also carried out.

2. Treatment of a tooth in which the root canals have already been filled. In this case, the doctor will first remove the old material. If a tooth has a crown, it must be removed. The root canals must be resealed, and the treatment tactics correspond to those described above: sometimes the installation of a temporary therapeutic filling is required.

Healing process

The stages of wound healing are as follows:

The first day: the hole fills with blood, which turns into a clot due to coagulation. It becomes the basis for bone formation in place of the void, and also protects against infection.
3-4 days: the clot is replaced by granulation tissue. By this time, the severity of pain decreases, and sometimes the area of surgery stops hurting completely.
Week: a clot remains inside the socket, but most of it has already been replaced by granulation tissue.
Two weeks: the wound is filled with granulation tissue, turning into bone along the edges and bottom.
2-3 months: the hole completely turns into bone.

In order for recovery to occur correctly, you must follow all the doctor’s recommendations.

Stages of socket regeneration

How long does it take for damaged soft gum tissue to heal? It all depends on the individual characteristics of the human body. Regeneration time varies widely - from several weeks to several months. The healing period depends on the complexity of the dental work performed, the type of unit removed (soft tissue takes a long time to heal after the removal of wisdom teeth and elements with a large number of roots), the presence of chronic and infectious pathologies.

How does the hole heal after tooth extraction? There are several stages of healing:

Formation of a blood clot (after 2-4 hours). At this time, it is advisable to refrain from rinsing the mouth and eating food. Injury to the clot leads to infection of the soft tissues of the gums and the development of alveolitis.
The stage of formation of granulation tissue 2-3 days after the intervention. This tissue is the basis for the growth of new epithelium.
The formation of the epithelium begins on days 7-14 after the intervention.
Formation of the bone tissue of the socket from the edges to the center - 2-3 weeks.
Mineralization of osteoid – 21 days from the moment of surgery.
Calcification of bone trabeculae – after 2-3 months.

Stages of socket healing

How long does it take for gums to heal? The answer to the question depends on the volume of damaged tissue. If the doctor had to apply stitches during the intervention, then gum regeneration can be observed only after a week. Complete tissue restoration is observed only after 3 weeks, at the moment when the formation of new bone tissue begins.

After removing the figure eight, the gums will heal only after a month. This fact must be taken into account so as not to waste time fighting natural symptoms. Stress will only slow down the recovery of the extracted tooth socket.

In normal condition, the wound stops bleeding 3 days after extraction. The clot changes its color from burgundy to light or yellowish. This condition is explained by natural physiological processes: gradually saliva washes away hemoglobin from the clot, leading to its discoloration. Despite the change in color, the clot retains its structure and prevents re-bleeding and infection of the socket.

Do not clean the injured area with a brush or touch it with your hands. Failure to comply with these conditions and the dentist’s recommendations may lead to suppuration of the wound and formation of gumboil in the gums. One of the most common consequences of the removal of multi-rooted teeth is alveolitis, manifested by severe pain and inflammation of the operated area. If timely measures are not taken, the disease can be complicated by phlegmon, sepsis and abscess.

Lightening the hole after tooth extraction by 4-5 days

After 5 days, the wound will regenerate, but the patient will experience discomfort for several more days when eating food. If there is no severe pain, then a repeat visit to the dentist is not required. At this time, it is important to thoroughly clean the oral cavity and try to chew food on the healthy side of the jaw.

How many days does it take for the pain to disappear? This is usually observed on day 7-8. Granulation tissues gradually replace the blood clot. Only in the middle of the wound are epithelial particles observed. If by this time the pain does not subside, you should immediately consult a doctor. It may be necessary to re-open the cavity and rinse it with antiseptics. In practice, complications are rarely observed in patients who follow preventive rules after extraction.

What does the wound healing process depend on? Several factors should be noted:

Age and immune system of the patient. At a young age, the wound heals faster due to accelerated metabolism. In elderly patients, the socket scars for several weeks longer, which is considered normal.
Type of element to be removed. The hole after the removal of a wisdom tooth is much larger and deeper than after the extraction of other elements. With complex removal of the figure eight, regeneration of soft tissues is observed only on days 7-8. Gums heal worst after removing elements with crooked roots and crumbled crowns.
Possibility of infection. The main sign of the pathological process is redness and inflammation of the surgical site. After removing a single-rooted tooth, the sign should disappear on the 5th day, after removing units with numerous roots - on the 13th day.
Oral care. After the operation, the specialist advises the patient about the features of the rehabilitation period, which include rinsing (from day 3), changing the diet, and careful oral care. It is especially important to adhere to preventive measures after extraction of the lateral elements.

To accelerate the regeneration of soft gum tissue, ordinary and cosmetic sutures are used. In the first case, the patient will need to return to the dentist for suture removal. Cosmetic materials dissolve independently in the oral cavity.

Why doesn't the hole heal?

The timing of wound healing is an individual question. It is determined by several factors - the traumatic nature of the removal, the presence of postoperative sutures, and the age of the patient. It is believed that partial epithelization takes about 2 weeks, complete - up to two months. These deadlines may increase for the following reasons:

The bone was severely damaged. This happens, for example, during a complex extraction, when the tissue around the tooth has to be cut out with a drill.
The clot has fallen out, so there is no basis for the formation of granulation tissue.
Due to the doctor's fault, bone fragments remained in the wound.
The patient ignores the recommendations received. The most common mistake is rinsing out the clot, after which an infection from the oral cavity gets into the wound.
The mucous membrane around the wound is mobile, and no stitches were applied.
Carious remains entered the cavity and inflammation began.
The surgeon did not take into account individual characteristics. For example, with arterial hypertension, heavy bleeding begins, so drugs that lower blood pressure are additionally prescribed.
Old age of the patient.

Ways to speed up healing

The best thing a patient can do to speed up epithelialization is to create conditions in the oral cavity that are close to sterile. To do this, you must follow some rules:

Squeeze the cotton swab applied after surgery tightly with your teeth for 15-20 minutes.
Do not eat for 3 hours so as not to interfere with the clot formation process.
In the first days, do not smoke, give up alcohol and solid food.
Avoid heavy physical activity, temperature effects (hot drinks and dishes, trips to the bathhouse, sauna).
Do not chew on the injured side for two days.
Avoid rinsing and use chlorhexidine baths instead.
Take prescribed medications - for example, antibiotics, which are prescribed after a complex removal, in the presence of purulent processes.
After consulting with your doctor, use Solcoseryl, a gel that helps accelerate epithelization.

It is important to remember that the area where the deletion took place is a very vulnerable place. The mouth is home to a large number of opportunistic microorganisms, which, in the presence of a source of bleeding, become pathogenic, triggering the inflammatory process. To perform the operation, you should choose an experienced surgeon and strictly follow his recommendations after the procedure.

Surgery

Surgical treatment of dental granuloma may be required only in a few cases:

obstruction of the root canals - complex, tortuous structure, too thin, narrow canals;
impossibility of unsealing channels;
the presence of a pin in the root canal - attempts to remove it may cause injury;
patient's reluctance to remove the crown.

Many patients prefer granuloma removal because they do not want to resort to long-term treatment and remove a good crown. In this case, an apical resection operation is performed - part of the root is removed along with the granuloma through a small incision in the gums. Less commonly used is hemisection - removal of one root of a multi-rooted tooth along with part of the crown. In this case, further restoration of the crown of the tooth with a prosthesis will be required.

In rare cases, it is not advisable to preserve a tooth with granuloma. For example, if the crown is severely damaged and cannot be restored. In this case, when removing a tooth, the doctor must remove the granuloma from the socket in order to prevent the development of inflammation.

If purulent complications develop against the background of a granuloma, it is important to get help from a doctor immediately. The specialist will provide first aid: relieve acute pain by opening the tooth. Previously sealed canals are opened, and purulent contents are subsequently removed through them. In this case, relief comes instantly.

If severe swelling of the gums or cheeks appears, this may be due to the release of inflammatory contents under the periosteum or oral mucosa. In this case, a small incision is made to drain the pus. Further treatment is possible only after relief of acute symptoms. Drug therapy will also be required - the doctor will prescribe a course of antibiotics. You should not take them on your own. Moreover, it makes no sense to be treated only with antibiotics in the hope that the inflammation will go away - they are not able to eliminate the source of the disease or even reduce it, it is important to take local measures to eliminate the inflammatory process.