WISDOM TOOTH REMOVAL 

The removal of impacted teeth is a serious surgical procedure. Post-operative care is very important. Unnecessary pain and the complications of infection and swelling can be minimized if the instructions are followed carefully. If you have had any form of sedation, please refrain from driving for at least 24 hours.

 

Day of surgery:

  • Bite firmly on gauze for 15-20 min. Limit any talking to keep pressure. When you get home you can take the gauze out & check the bleeding. If the gauze has light spotting/light bleeding, it is okay to leave the gauze out, as long as the bleeding has slowed down.

  • If blood is saturating the gauze or collecting in your mouth, you can repeat the process with new gauze. You may need to do this several times throughout the first day.

  • Make sure you are placing the gauze directly over and touching extraction sites.

  • If bleeding is uncontrolled by evening, you may try biting on a moisten black tea bag, wrapped in moist gauze keeping pressure for 15-20. Intermittent bleeding overnight is normal.

  • DO NOT SLEEP WITH GAUZE IN YOUR MOUTH.

Pain Control:

  • Long-acting numbing medicine is given for wisdom teeth surgery; you should be numb into this evening. It is important start pain medication before numbness has worn off.

  • The main medication used in our office for post-operative pain is a high strength Ibuprofen. You can take prescribed 600mg of Ibuprofen every 6 hours.

  • For additional pain control; it is safe to take 2 Extra Strength Tylenol, (Two 500mg tablets to equal 1000mg) in the middle of the ibuprofen (3hrs into the 6hrs). Alternating between the two medications every 3 hours. That equals 1000mg of Tylenol every 6 hours. (DO NOT exceed 4000mg of Tylenol in 24 hrs). 

  • If you do not have a prescription for Ibuprofen 600mg. Over the counter Advil/Motrin is ibuprofen and is usually supplied in 200mg. Therefore you can take three 200mg tabs to equal 600mg, every 6 hours. )

  • If a medical issue prevents you from taking ibuprofen, Tylenol is the only alternative.

Diet:

  • Nausea is common after anesthesia. Start by drinking clear fluids and advance to soft foods as long as your stomach has settled.  (Pudding, yogurt, applesauce, milk shakes, protein shakes, mash potatoes, eggs, over cooked noodles) Maintain soft foods for a week after surgery.

  • AVOID foods that can get stuck in extraction sites. (Chips, nuts, seeds, popcorn, rice).

  •  Try not to miss a single meal. You will feel better, have more strength, less discomfort and heal faster if you continue to eat.

  • NO STRAWS FOR THE FIRST 2 WEEKS AFTER SURGERY.

Swelling:

  • Apply ice packs on the outside of face where the jaw makes the bend. Keep ice packs on the area for 20-30 min. each hour for the first 48 hours.  (Swelling may peak at days 3-4 after surgery, and then subside.) If you have been prescribed medication for swelling be sure to take it as directed; Day of surgery is considered day one. 

  • After about 48 hours, ice has no beneficial effect. If swelling or jaw stiffness has persisted for several days, there is no cause for alarm. This is a normal reaction to surgery. forty-eight hours following surgery, the application of moist heat to the sides of the face is beneficial in reducing the size of the swelling. 

  • In some cases, discoloration of the skin follows swelling. The development of black, blue, green, or yellow discoloration is due to blood spreading beneath the tissues. This is a normal post-operative occurrence, which may occur 2-3 days post-operatively.

Hygiene:

  • You can resume brushing your teeth 24 hours after surgery. Tonight, you can gently rinse with the prescribed oral rinse by rolling your head side to side & gently letting it spill out of your mouth- NO vigorous swishing/rinsing.  

  • If you run out of or do not have prescription oral rinse, you can use 1tsp of salt mixed with 8oz of warm water.  

  • DO NOT probe extraction sites.

Day three after surgery:

  • Irrigate extraction sites, starting on day 3 after surgery by gently placing the tip of the syringe into the lower extraction sites (this will not harm healing if done starting on day three) Then flush with prescribed mouth rise Chlorhexidine. (You may use salt water if you run out of the prescribed rinse; 1tsp of salt to 8oz of water). Irrigating the sockets is very important and can keep you out of pain. You need to irrigate the sockets after you eat until your follow up appointment. It is important to keep the extraction sites clean of food as the gum tissues heal & close over.

  • Limit vigorous exercise for 1 week after surgery.

  • Sutures are placed the area of surgery to minimize post-operative bleeding and to help healing. Sometimes they become dislodged, this is no cause for alarm. Just remove the suture form your mouth and discard it. 

  • A dry socket is when the blood clot gets dislodged prematurely from the tooth socket. Symptoms of pain at the surgical site and even pain to the ear may occur 2-3 days following surgery. Call the office if this occurs.

  • There will be a cavity where the tooth was removed. The cavity will gradually over the next month fill in with the new tissue. In the mean time, the area should be kept clean especially after meals with salt water rinses or a toothbrush.

Other Complications

  • If numbness of the lip, chin, or tongue occurs there is no cause for alarm. As stated, before surgery, this is usually temporary in nature. You should be aware that if your lip or tongue is numb, you could bite it and not feel the sensation. So be careful. Call if you have any questions.

  • Slight elevation of temperature immediately following surgery is not uncommon. If the temperature persists, notify the office. 

  • Sore throats and pain when swallowing is not uncommon. The muscles get swollen. The normal act of swallowing can then become painful. This will subside in 2-3 days.

  • You should be careful going from the lying down position to standing. You were not able to eat or drink prior to surgery. It was also difficult to take fluids. Taking pain medications can make you dizzy. You could get lightheaded when you stand up suddenly. Before standing up, you should sit for one minute then get up.

  • Occasionally, patients may feel hard protrusions in the mouth with their tongue. They are not roots; they are the bony walls which supported the tooth. These protrusions usually smooth out by themselves over time. If not, they can be removed by Drs. Pavlick & Reppas. If the corners of your mouth are stretched, they may dry out and crack. Your lips should be kept moist with an ointment such as Vaseline.

  • Stiffness (Trimus) of the jaw muscles may cause difficulty in opening your mouth for a few days following surgery. This is a normal post-operative event which will resolve in time.

  • Smoking is NOT advised. Smoking creates pressure change within your mouth and can lead to dry socket, it is also quite detrimental to healing. Refrain from smoking until extraction sites have completely closed over

If you have any questions, or if you’re still experiencing pain, do not hesitate to call the office.

 

Pavlick & Reppas

5 out of 5 stars based on 45 Wisdom Teeth reviews

Our Latest Patient Testimonial

I felt really comfortable and pain free and everything went a lot better than I thought!

- Grace K

5 out of 5 stars on

Our Latest Patient Testimonial

Very happy with the service and care.

- Heather M

5 out of 5 stars on

Our Latest Patient Testimonial

My surgery went very well and my recovery has been great with no complications. All of the staff was very kind and answered all of my questions. Dr. Reppas performed my surgery and I would recommend him to anyone looking to have their wisdom teeth removed.

- Megan R

5 out of 5 stars on

Our Latest Patient Testimonial

Would recommend to friends and family

- Kristin L

5 out of 5 stars on

Our Latest Patient Testimonial

One of my wisdom teeth was infected, I was in a lot of pain, and this office was amazing. After talking to the office staff, I was able to get into see Dr. Reppas quickly and was very impressed with my initial consultation. I was taken back to see the doctor immediately and he performed a quick examination, prescribed an antibiotic which helped tremendously with the pain, and then scheduled surgery for the following week day, even offering to extract the tooth sooner if I found myself in too much pain. Surgery day was just as easy. I was brought back at or before my scheduled time, was treated very kindly by the staff and Dr. Reppas, and then I found myself in recovery. The whole surgery was very easy. I had all four wisdom teeth out, and three days later, no swelling and no pain. I was back to work the next day! Thank you for a great experience.

- Melissa C

5 out of 5 stars on

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Good experience, will recommend

- Noelle B

5 out of 5 stars on

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Good

- Delaney L

5 out of 5 stars on

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Very good experience.

- Tim R

5 out of 5 stars on

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I had a really good experience here. My surgery went really well and my recovery was quick with no complications. The doctor did a really good job and everybody here was really friendly and helpful.

- Marina N

5 out of 5 stars on

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Everything was well communicated and the timing was fast.

- Kallie V

5 out of 5 stars on

Our Latest Patient Testimonial

My experience with the staff and the doctor was fantastic. All were extremely courteous and welcoming and they made me feel at ease about my surgery, in addition to doing a great job with the surgery itself.

- Emma S

5 out of 5 stars on

Our Latest Patient Testimonial

I called Dr Reppas on the advice of a friend. Since my daughter is a college student in Chicago, I thought the extraction was going to have to wait until the summer. I was wrong. The staff fit her in for consult and surgery in the space of two weeks. Very professional and the extraction went flawlessly, from surgery through full recovery. I can't thank Dr Reppas and his staff enough. I wish I had known about them for my first two kids' wisdom teeth. There is truly no comparison!

- Shelley F

5 out of 5 stars on

Our Latest Patient Testimonial

Everything went great with my surgery. I was really nervous but all the staff from the front desk to the nurses made feel at ease and were very understanding. Dr.Pavlick was really cool too! I had a great experience there.

- Justin H

5 out of 5 stars on

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Very nice and caring staff!

- Brooke B

5 out of 5 stars on

Our Latest Patient Testimonial

Very good place to come to get your wisdom teeth out!!!

- Kayla K

5 out of 5 stars on

Our Latest Patient Testimonial

The whole staff was very friendly and they never left you waiting long! The doctor was also very friendly and eased every concern I had. I would most definitely recommend coming to Dr. Pavlick!

- Hailey E

5 out of 5 stars on

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Great staff and Dr Reppas was great also. Would definitely recommend.

- Destiny F

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Nice clean office and everyone was very nice and reassuring

- Mary C

5 out of 5 stars on

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Very easy to make appointment and fairly painless recovery

- Ian P

5 out of 5 stars on

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Awesome crew of very nice & highly trained doctors. Recommend to anyone 🙂

- Joseph B

5 out of 5 stars on