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

młoda dziewczyna po wyrwaniu zęba

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

Extraction is the dental surgery procedure that patients usually fear the most. However, the doctor decides to extract a tooth (colloquial term for extraction) only when conservative treatment is ineffective or the damage to the tooth is so advanced that there are no possibilities of restoration. The concern is usually not only about the tooth extraction procedure itself, but also about the subsequent wound healing process. How long does it take? Some clues later in our post.

Stages of wound healing after extraction. How long does it take?

After a tooth extraction procedure, a clot forms. Initially, the wound heals within the first few days, but the whole process can sometimes take several weeks. In doing so, it is very important to the patient has followed the doctor's advice.

During the treatment extraction of a tooth There is damage to both soft and hard tissues (bone). The healing process begins with the coagulation of blood that fills the alveolus. The first, very important stage is the previously mentioned clot formationwhich provides natural protection for the wound against bacteria. This is known as vascular plugging, which occurs spontaneously within the first hour of the procedure. In people with a blood clotting problem, additional stimulation of this process may be necessary.

The next stage involves inflammation, which usually lasts for 3-5 days after the procedure (in some cases it can be prolonged). There may then be complaints of pain. Then begins tissue reconstruction phaseThis is evidenced by the appearance of a white clot at the wound site. The regeneration of the connective tissue takes place, the wound is covered by the squamous epithelium and a scar begins to form. Underneath the scar, however, bone healing continues, which sometimes takes up to several months after extraction in the case of wisdom teeth.

Wound healing time after extraction depends on the both on its size and the tooth that was extracted. The process takes the shortest time for anterior teeth, the longest after extraction of eights or eighths.