Is it normal to feel pain after wisdom tooth extraction

Having wisdom teeth surgery can be a real pain, but if your healing regimen goes awry, you can find yourself in a world of hurt. An expert from the Texas A&M College of Dentistry explains this uncomfortable complication and how to avoid it.

Table of Contents Show

What is dry socket?
Symptoms and treatment
Risk factors and how to prevent a dry socket
Dominic Hernandez
Why Do I Need My Wisdom Teeth Removed?
Why Do I Have a Sore Jaw After Wisdom Teeth Removal Surgery?
What Are Other Complications of Wisdom Teeth Removal Surgery?
What Can I Do About Pain and Dry Sockets?
What is The Recovery Time for Wisdom Teeth Removal Surgery?

What is dry socket?

When a tooth is extracted, a blood clot forms and fills the extraction site to help protect the area as it heals. However, once in a while, if you’re not careful, that blood clot can be displaced, which leaves the bone and nerve high and dry.

“The blood clot is there to protect the wound,” said Michael Ellis, DDM, clinical associate professor with the Texas A&M College of Dentistry. “If the clot is broken down prematurely, then the bone is exposed and the area becomes a ‘dry socket.’”

The blood clot has its own “life cycle,” which can last for about a day or two. It forms naturally, then the body breaks it down once the socket starts filling with soft tissue to help the healing process.

“We typically see dry socket after the removal of lower impacted third molars, or wisdom teeth,” Ellis said. “The pain can last anywhere from a few days to a week.”

Symptoms and treatment

There are not many symptoms of dry socket, but there is one that stands out above the rest, and that’s pain.

“When someone has a dry socket, the first thing they’ll notice is a moderate to severe amount of pain,” Ellis said. “The exposed bone is sensitive, and that is the source of pain, which can be dull or throbbing and even radiate up to the patient’s ear.”

A dry socket can also have a foul odor, and this can lead to the patient experiencing a bad taste in the mouth.

While many people may think that their dry socket is infected or that having one increases the chances of infection, that may not be the case. “There’s not a lot of swelling or fever with a dry socket,” Ellis said. “An infection can happen, but it’d be unrelated to the dry socket.”

The treatment for dry socket is pretty straightforward, and is almost the same as cleaning out any other painful wound. “You want to clean the wound, irrigate it with saline and then dress the wound with medicated gauze,” Ellis said. “Treating the wound doesn’t speed up the healing process: It just deals with the amount of discomfort that the patient is in—whether you treat it or not, it will get better.”

Risk factors and how to prevent a dry socket

After surgery, a surgeon will provide directions to help decrease the odds of developing dry socket. Some of the instructions include avoiding carbonated or warm beverages, keeping the mouth relaxed and avoid messing with the area. Also avoid using a straw, as the suction can dislodge the blood clot.

Clots break down naturally, but some people may have factors that causes them to break down prematurely, a condition called secondary fibrinolysis. This process can be induced by medication, stress or an underlying medical condition.

People who smoke can also see an increase risk of dry socket, especially if they smoke within three to five days after surgery. Women who take birth control also see a slight increase in risk for dry socket.

If you begin to notice an unpleasant discharge, severe pain or fever, call your surgeon right away. Also, if your swelling gets worse instead of better, or if your bleeding doesn’t subside with pressure, contact your health care provider. Complications after surgery are rare, but they are real.

Media contact: Dee Dee Grays, , 979.436.0611

Dominic Hernandez

Communications Specialist I

Wisdom teeth removal surgery is often needed when someone’s teeth are crowding in their mouth. Wisdom teeth removal can affect the surrounding teeth as well as the jaw. Many factors play into recovery after the procedure, but the two most common problems after wisdom teeth removal surgery are pain and dry sockets.

Why Do I Need My Wisdom Teeth Removed?

Wisdom teeth removal is one of the most common oral surgeries in the United States. It represents 95% of all tooth removals among 16 to 21 year-olds with dental insurance. Wisdom teeth erupt between ages 17 and 25. There are a few reasons your dentist may recommend you have them removed.

Wisdom teeth may cause:

Swelling
Tooth decay
Crowding, also known as impacted wisdom teeth
Damage to other teeth
Other complications in the mouth

Why Do I Have a Sore Jaw After Wisdom Teeth Removal Surgery?

Wisdom teeth removal means the four permanent adult teeth in the top and bottom back corners are removed by a dental surgeon. The removal of the lower wisdom teeth from the mouth can upset the surrounding muscles and bones. Pain after wisdom teeth removal surgery is normal and will subside as the healing process continues.

However, removing the lower wisdom teeth can lead to a condition where the muscles of the jaw contract, or tighten, called trismus. This can restrict the mouth from opening. Trismus is especially common when the third molar is impacted.

Trismus is often painful and can impact speech and the ability to eat. The condition often goes away when the muscles begin to repair themselves, and does not require treatment. If your sore jaw does not go away on its own, talk to your dentist or oral surgeon. Click here to find a dentist in your area.

What Are Other Complications of Wisdom Teeth Removal Surgery?

A common complication of wisdom tooth extractions are dry sockets. One study found that dry sockets occur about 12 percent of the time. A dry socket forms when the empty hole that held a tooth doesn’t heal properly after the tooth is removed. After surgery, a blood clot should form to start the socket’s healing process. If the blood clot doesn’t develop, or if it gets damaged, it can lead to dry sockets.

Dry sockets can cause pain, a foul taste in the mouth, and bad breath. If you experience these symptoms after surgery, contact your dentist or oral surgeon.

What Can I Do About Pain and Dry Sockets?

If your pain becomes unmanageable, contact your doctor to discuss what they recommend. If your pain gets worse in the days after surgery, it’s likely there is a problem. So be sure to monitor your pain and contact a doctor if necessary.

Vicodin and hydrocodone, common opioid-based pain relievers, are most frequently prescribed by US oral surgeons after a wisdom teeth removal surgery. But, recent research found that taking the common pain relievers acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil) together are more effective and safer for pain relief after oral surgery than prescription opioids.

This discovery allows dentists and oral surgeons to address their patient’s pain level in new, safer ways. It’s important to discuss pain relief options with your doctor before the surgery.

What is The Recovery Time for Wisdom Teeth Removal Surgery?

Typical recovery time is one to two weeks, but it’s important to follow all of your oral surgeon’s recovery instructions after surgery. A sore jaw after wisdom teeth extraction is common, but make sure to tell your dentist or surgeon if something doesn’t feel right. If pain gets worse instead of better in the days following surgery, contact your provider.

Having a wisdom tooth removed can be pricey if you don't have dental insurance. Find the right dental plan for you today.

*Updated 2019