The pain of wisdom tooth extraction has always been one of the topics that patients are most concerned about. As a dentist, I have come into contact with all kinds of patients in clinical practice. Some have almost no sensation after the operation, while others are tortured by pain and can’t sleep at night. How severe is the pain after having wisdom teeth extracted? And what factors influence it? Today, we will provide a detailed analysis for everyone.
Pain during Surgery: “Relatively Easy” under Anesthesia
Before the wisdom tooth extraction surgery begins, the doctor will first administer local anesthesia. The function of anesthesia is to block nerve conduction and temporarily deprive the surgical area of the sense of pain. When anesthetic drugs are injected around the gums and alveolar bone, patients may feel a slight stinging pain, just like being bitten by a mosquito, but this kind of pain is very short-lived. As the anesthetic drugs take effect, the surgical area will gradually become numb, and at this time, the patient basically will not feel pain.
During the operation, the doctor will use professional instruments, such as braces and forceps, to loosen and extract the wisdom tooth from the alveolar bone. Although the patient is conscious and can sense the doctor’s operation and hear the sounds of the instruments, there will be no obvious pain. Only a slight feeling of being squeezed or pulled will occur. It’s just like someone gently fiddling with your teeth. Although you can sense the movement, it won’t cause any pain. However, everyone’s response to anesthesia varies. In very rare cases, the anesthetic effect may not be satisfactory, and in such cases, pain may be felt. Doctors will take timely measures, such as adding anesthetic drugs, to ensure the smooth progress of the surgery.
0-2 hours after the operation: The “calm period” before the anesthesia wears off
Within 0 to 2 hours after having wisdom teeth extracted, as the anesthetic drugs have not yet completely lost their effect, most patients do not feel obvious pain. Instead, they may even feel a dull sensation in their mouths without any particular feeling. This stage is like the calm before a storm. Patients can take advantage of this period to have a short rest. However, during this process, it is necessary to pay close attention to the condition of the wound to avoid the dull sensation caused by anesthesia and accidentally biting the oral mucosa or the wound. At the same time, follow the doctor’s advice and do not eat or drink too early to avoid bleeding from the wound.
Some patients may experience mild distending pain or discomfort at this stage. This is because there may be some bleeding and tissue reactions at the wound site, but this feeling is usually mild and within the tolerable range. If you feel the pain is a little more obvious, don’t be overly nervous. This doesn’t mean something abnormal has happened. Just wait patiently for the anesthesia to completely subside.
2 to 24 hours after the operation: Pain gradually strikes
When the anesthetic drugs completely wear off, the pain begins to gradually appear. The period from 2 to 24 hours after the operation is when the pain is more obvious. At the beginning, you may feel a dull pain at the wound site, similar to a slight distending pain, similar to the sensation when the gums are inflamed. As time goes by, the pain may gradually intensify, especially within 6 to 12 hours after the operation. Many patients will experience a small peak in pain.
This kind of pain is caused by multiple factors. On the one hand, during the tooth extraction process, damage is caused to tissues such as the gums and alveolar bone. The body initiates its self-repair mechanism, and an inflammatory response follows. The release of inflammatory mediators stimulates nerve endings, causing pain. On the other hand, the blood clot formed at the wound site and the swelling of the surrounding tissues can also exert pressure on the peripheral nerves, intensifying the pain.
At this time, the manifestations of pain are diverse. Some patients feel a persistent dull pain that keeps aching faintly, making them restless. Some patients may experience intermittent stabbing pains, as if pricked by small needles, especially when speaking or swallowing saliva, the pain becomes more pronounced. The pain may also radiate to areas such as the ears and temples, causing discomfort on one side of the face. However, this kind of pain is generally within the tolerable range. If the pain is severe, patients can take an appropriate amount of pain-relieving medicine as prescribed by the doctor to relieve it.
1-3 days after the operation: The “tug-of-war” of pain
One to three days after the operation, the pain enters a critical period, which is also a “tug-of-war” with the pain. During this period, the pain may recur. Sometimes it feels relieved, and sometimes it suddenly intensifies. Generally speaking, the pain is most obvious on the first day after the operation and will gradually ease. However, if the care is improper, such as wound infection or blood clot shedding, the pain may intensify and last longer.
If the wound remains clean and there are no complications such as infection, the pain will gradually subside over time, changing from the initial obvious pain to a mild dull pain or discomfort. However, if oral hygiene is not paid attention to at this stage, food residues will enter the wound, bacteria will breed and cause infection, the pain will become more severe, and it may also be accompanied by symptoms such as redness, swelling and fever. The pain after infection is different from that during the normal recovery process. It is more acute and persistent, and may even affect the patient’s sleep and normal life.
In addition, some patients may develop dry socket syndrome after the operation, which is a rather serious complication. Dry socket syndrome usually occurs 2 to 3 days after the operation. Its main symptoms are severe pain at the tooth extraction site, which radiates to the temporal region of the ear, the submandibular area or the top of the head. General oral painkillers cannot relieve it. The pain caused by dry socket syndrome is extremely unbearable and requires prompt medical attention. Doctors will treat the wound, such as debridement and applying medication, to relieve the pain and promote healing.
More than 3 days after the operation: The pain gradually eases
Under normal circumstances, three days after the operation, as the wound gradually heals, the pain will be significantly relieved. Most patients at this stage basically do not feel obvious pain. Only when touching the wound or chewing hard food will they have a slight discomfort. However, the recovery speed varies from person to person. For some patients with better physical fitness and proper care, the pain disappears more quickly. However, for some patients with weaker physical resistance, or those whose wisdom teeth extraction is more difficult and involves greater trauma, the pain may last longer.
During the process of pain relief, patients still need to pay attention to oral hygiene, persist in rinsing their mouths with mouthwash, avoid eating spicy, irritating foods and hard foods to prevent irritation to the wound and affect healing. At the same time, appropriate rest and nutritional supplementation can also help speed up the recovery and relieve pain.
Factors Affecting the Degree of Pain
The growth condition of wisdom teeth: If wisdom teeth emerge normally and are in a relatively upright position, they are relatively easy to extract, cause less trauma, and the postoperative pain will also be relatively mild. However, if wisdom teeth are impacted, such as horizontal or impacted teeth, they need to be extracted by cutting the gum and removing part of the alveolar bone. The surgical trauma is large, and the postoperative pain will be more obvious, with a longer recovery time.
Individual physical differences: Different people have different pain tolerance abilities. Some people are more sensitive to pain and can find even mild pain unbearable. However, some people have a stronger ability to tolerate pain, and the same degree of pain has less impact on them. In addition, the body’s resistance also affects the perception of pain and the speed of recovery. People with strong resistance have faster wound healing and shorter pain duration.
Surgical operation level: Experienced and highly skilled doctors can perform more precise operations during tooth extraction, minimizing damage to surrounding tissues and thereby reducing postoperative pain. On the contrary, if the surgical operation is not performed properly, it may lead to more tissue damage, increasing the risk of postoperative pain and complications.
Postoperative care situation: Whether postoperative care is in place has an important impact on the degree of pain and recovery. Keeping the mouth clean, avoiding wound infection, and having a reasonable diet and rest as prescribed by the doctor can help relieve pain and promote wound healing. Improper care, however, may lead to intensified pain and prolong the recovery time.
Conclusion
The degree of pain after wisdom tooth extraction varies from person to person and is influenced by multiple factors. From the anesthetic state during the operation to the changes in pain at different stages after the operation, each process has its own characteristics. Although there may be a period of pain after the operation, as long as you understand the relevant knowledge, do a good job in postoperative care and respond positively, you can smoothly get through the recovery period and restore the health and comfort of your mouth.
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