Treat inflammation after tooth extraction. Possible complications during and after the procedure

The condition after tooth extraction cannot be called pleasant, but how to understand what is considered the norm, and in what cases do you need to urgently seek help? The article discusses the symptoms characteristic of the postoperative period, as well as the rules of conduct in the first hours and days after the completion of medical manipulations.

How is the normal healing of the hole after tooth extraction

This is what a healed hole looks like.

After extracting the fragments of the tooth, the hole is treated with an antiseptic and closed with a cotton swab to stop bleeding. If the operation was successful, then the blood stops after 20-30 minutes.

Over the next 3 hours, a blood clot forms in the recess of the hole, which acts as a protective layer that prevents infections and pathogenic bacteria from penetrating into the wound.

Normal healing symptoms:

formation in the first hours after the operation of a blood clot;
pain in the area of the extracted tooth (sometimes pain radiates to the ear, eyes and neighboring areas of the prepared side);
a slight increase in temperature;
swelling of the gums, cheeks;
difficulty swallowing food or drinks;
violation of other functions of the jaw.

All of these symptoms are normal, the peak of their manifestations occurs on the second day after the operation. The fourth day is considered the control date, then all signs should, if not disappear, then gradually pass.

Stages of healing

The healing process of soft tissues in the area of the hole normally lasts about 2 weeks. Bone tissues are restored only after 4-5 months.

The rehabilitation period is conditionally divided into the following stages:

After 2-4 hours after the operation, a blood clot is formed. At this time, it is important not to injure the operated area.
After 2-3 days symptomatic manifestations are reduced: swelling decreases in size, body temperature is within normal limits, pain is not very pronounced.
After 3-4 days on top of the blood clot, granulation tissue is formed, which is the basis for the growth of a new epithelial layer.
After 5-7 days significant changes are observed in the clot area, granulation tissue covers most of the hole. Pain and swelling disappear completely.
After 7-8 days the hole after the removed tooth overgrows, the remains of the clot are observed only in the depth of the hole.
After 1-2 weeks bone tissue is actively formed in the recess, the hole is completely covered with an epithelial layer.
After 1-2 months the newly formed bone tissue fills the hole from the edges to the center, which is filled with mature epithelium.
After 2-3 months the bone tissue in the hole is saturated with minerals. In the absence of complications, the recovery process is considered almost complete, but some areas of the alveolar process still have focal zones of osteoporosis, which is confirmed by x-rays.
After 5-6 months the patient can be implanted. The bone tissue by this time is finally restored and is ready for implantation of the pin.

Rules of conduct after tooth extraction

Hole immediately after tooth extraction.

The process of healing the wound will be fast if you follow the simple rules of behavior after the operation:

A swab that stops bleeding should be removed 15-25 minutes after insertion.
For 3 hours after tooth extraction, it is not recommended to eat.
On the day of surgery and after it, you should stop drinking alcohol, spicy food, hot dishes.
To eliminate the pain syndrome, you need to take an anesthetic.
On the cheek from the side where the operation was performed, it is necessary to apply a cold compress (3-4 times a day for 15 minutes).
When eating, chew with the healthy side of the jaw.
For 3-4 days, avoid overload, hypothermia and overheating, so as not to provoke the development of inflammation.
Follow all the doctor's recommendations for taking medications and prophylactic agents.
Do not lick the blood clot from the hole with your tongue.
It is recommended to immediately contact the clinic if anxiety symptoms appear.

The behavior of the patient after the removal of a wisdom tooth is not much different from the general recommendations. But there are still some additions:

the first two days you can not open your mouth wide;
do not rinse the oral cavity for 1-2 days after the operation, so as not to interfere with the formation of tissues;
exclude solid food from the diet;
give up bad habits (cigarettes, alcohol).

Can I 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 discharge. But this should not be done after surgery, at least in the first hours. Cigar smoke contains resins and chemicals that irritate the surface of soft tissues.

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

Associated symptoms and what they indicate

Tooth extraction is an operative intervention, which provides for the dissection of tissues. The operation itself is simple, but the anatomical features of the patient and the state of his health make adjustments to the recovery process. It is recommended to control the situation, focusing on the symptoms.

Symptoms during healing of the hole
Name	What do they indicate
Hole white	1-2 days after the operation, the hole is covered with a white coating, this is a physiological process that does not cause concern. If a white spot is formed at elevated temperature and pain syndrome, then alveolitis is often diagnosed by a combination of signs.
Sore gums	Non-growing gum pain for 7-10 days is considered the norm. If every day the pain intensifies and does not go away after the specified period, then it is likely that the infection progresses in the body.
The gum is swollen	The swelling after the operation disappears after 3 days. The fourth day is the control day. If the swelling subsides, there is no cause for concern, in other cases, immediate specialist help is required.
Swollen cheek	If after the operation the edema is small and there are no signs of its growth, then this is normal. With a large swelling that does not go away after 2-3 days, you should consult a doctor. The symptom may indicate the onset of inflammation or infection.
There is blood	The presence of blood after surgery should not be embarrassing. Isolation from the well up to half an hour is the norm. Sometimes, due to the characteristics of the body, this period stretches up to two hours. If the bleeding does not stop, then the reasons may be as follows: damage to blood vessels during manipulations, the onset of an inflammatory process, poor blood clotting, the action of drugs that thin the blood.
The temperature has risen	If after tooth extraction there is an increase in temperature to 37.5 ° on the first day, you should not be afraid. With a further deterioration in health, this symptom indicates infection of the wound.

Care and treatment after the procedure

Normally, a blood clot should form in the hole.

In order for the healing process of the hole after the removal of the hole to go quickly and without complications, you need to follow the general rules:

avoid hot food and drinks;
limit alcohol intake and cigarette smoking;
do not rinse your mouth on the first day after surgery;
do not give a load when chewing food on that part of the jaw where the operation was performed;
eating after tooth extraction can be planned only after 2 hours, not earlier;
when performing oral hygiene, you should not touch the blood clot in the hole, so as not to damage it;
when preparing for bed, you need to put another pillow so that your head remains elevated.

In cases where there is a high risk of developing inflammation or a pain syndrome is manifested, specialists prescribe medications:

painkillers- Analgin, Pentalgin, Nurofen, Ksefokam, Nise;
antibiotics- Lincomycin, Amoxicillin, Augmentin, Metronidazole, Cifran;
antipyretic- Efferalgan, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Nimulid.

For local processing, the following means are used:

Asepta gel- relieves irritation, redness, promotes cell regeneration, prevents the reproduction of microorganisms;
Holisal ointment- has an antiseptic and analgesic effect, promotes cell regeneration;
Streptocid ointment- local antibiotic, resists the spread of pathogens such as toxoplasmosis, herpes, chlamydia, intestinal and Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
Levomekol ointment- antimicrobial agent, relieves inflammation, starts the regenerative function.

It is effective to carry out rinsing with antiseptic solutions 3-4 times a day. Among the most popular:

Salvin;
Rotokan;
Chlorophyllipt;
Novoimanin;
Furacilin.

In the absence of the listed funds, procedures can be carried out using proven folk recipes: decoctions of chamomile, calendula, sage, a solution of soda (1 tsp per glass of water). It is easy to prepare, just pour a tablespoon of dried flowers with boiling water (200 ml) and cover with a lid, let it brew for 30-40 minutes.

The mouth should be filled with a small portion of the liquid; when rinsing, do not make sudden movements, especially from the side of the hole. The product should rinse the well for at least 30 seconds.

How to remove pain and inflammation?

The body is under stress during the operation, so it is recommended to take a day off for a couple of days to rest. Active pastime and loads are strictly prohibited.

To muffle the pain and relieve swelling, you should periodically apply a cold compress to your cheek for 15-20 minutes. The main thing is not to overdo it with the cold, so as not to provoke inflammation.

In case of severe pain, it is necessary to take an anesthetic. If the pain intensifies on the second day, and the drug used does not have the desired effect, you need to contact the clinic.

If redness appears near the hole, the temperature rises, it means that the inflammatory process has begun. Anti-inflammatory drugs will help to remove it.

How long does the hole normally heal

After a complex removal procedure, the hole heals longer.

Normally, the hole is tightened 7-10 days after the operation. This can be noted by the missing symptoms: pain, swelling, inflammation. The healing process is sometimes delayed for a number of reasons:

when the hole is infected;
due to inflammation
development of complications;
age factors;
due to a surgeon's error;
after a complex operation, in which a gum dissection was used in several places to remove the roots;
after wisdom tooth extraction.

If on the third day the symptoms do not subside, then you need to urgently seek qualified help.

You can speed up the healing of the hole by following all the doctor's instructions regarding hygiene, processing the hole, and taking the prescribed drugs. Special ointments and gels of local action, which have the ability to inhibit the inflammatory process and regenerate cells, can also help.

Factors affecting the rate of healing

The healing time may be longer, due to the influence of the following factors:

patient's age(the regeneration process is slower, metabolism is disturbed), the process of wound healing in people after 40 years is delayed for 1-2 weeks;
immunity(weakened protective functions of the body provoke infection, rapid reproduction of microorganisms);
invasiveness of the procedure(injury to soft tissues in combination with the inept actions of the surgeon and the anatomical features of the roots leads to a longer healing of the hole);
well infection after the removal of a single-rooted tooth, it delays the healing process for a week, units with several roots - for 2-3 weeks;
location of the extracted tooth affects the quality of antiseptic treatments, lateral molars are more difficult to clean from food particles, which provokes the formation of pathogenic microflora;
oral hygiene(with insufficient hygiene, the risk of inflammation and secondary infection increases).

Possible Complications

Sometimes, even with all the rules for the care and processing of the hole, complications develop. Delay in treatment in such cases is not recommended. Possible complications:

Alveolitis
Alveolitis. The disease, the signs of which are pain, swelling, general weakness, inflammation, develops due to the absence of a blood clot. The hole, left without protection, becomes available to infections.
The danger of the disease lies in the transition of inflammation to the alveolar process and the development of osteomyelitis. The success of treatment depends on the degree of neglect of the process.
As mandatory measures, specialists scrape the hole again, drain it, and prescribe analgesics and antibiotics from medicines.
Cyst
Cyst. A neoplasm in soft tissues with a location near the root zone appears as a result of infection of the hole or an inflammatory process. The sac contains fluid from dead cells and bacteria. If the cyst is not removed in a timely manner, sepsis (blood poisoning) may occur.
The formation of a cyst is provoked by the following factors: prolonged retention of the tampon in the well, dry socket, non-compliance with the doctor's recommendations for care.
Treatment involves surgery to clean tissues from neoplasms and drug therapy with the use of anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agents.
Flux
Flux. The disease develops against the background of an inflammatory process occurring on the periosteum of the alveolar process.
Reasons: damage to the blood clot or lack of treatment for alveolitis.
As a treatment, it is planned to open the purulent focal zone and conduct antibacterial therapy.
Purulent inflammation of the periodontium
Inflammation of the periodontium. The disease appears, as a rule, against the background of a dry socket or after a blood clot has fallen out. The wound is filled with granulation and fibrous tissue, pus.
The gum swells, bleeds, there is a strong pulsation. The focus is localized at the edge of the gum surface. To solve the problem, an integrated approach is taken:
- curettage;
- antibacterial therapy;
- treatment of the hole with antiseptics;
- taking antibiotics.
Hematomas
Hematoma. This complication often occurs as a result of laborious tooth extraction, when long roots are to be extracted.
The usual way to do the operation does not work, so you have to press on the gum, as a result of which the blood enters the soft tissues.
You can eliminate the hematoma with the help of special ointments and gels.
Bleeding
Bleeding. It can occur both immediately after surgery, and after 12-24 hours. The complication can be caused by several factors: the use of adrenaline, vascular damage, non-compliance with the rules of behavior in the postoperative period. The loss of blood for the body is dangerous, as the functioning of all vital systems is disrupted.
The problem is eliminated by applying cold, squeezing the vessel, using a hemostatic agent, or suturing the gum.
dry hole
Dry hole. This effect is obtained due to an unformed blood clot or as a result of its damage. Signs of the disease: pain, sometimes radiating to the ear, reddening of the tissues around the hole, a specific smell in the mouth.
Dry socket can also be provoked by: smoking, poor hygiene, frequent rinsing of the mouth, mechanical impact on the wound.
When detecting a mild and moderate degree of complexity of the disease, doctors prescribe antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial therapy. Severe cases require hospitalization and complex treatment.
paresthesia
Paresthesia. Occurs as a result of nerve damage during surgery. The following signs indicate a problem: numbness of the tongue, lips, chin, cheeks.
This phenomenon is considered temporary, disappears after 2-10 days. As a treatment, the patient is recommended to take vitamins B, C, as well as injections of Galantamine or Dibazol.

Extraction of a tooth is a strong stress for the body, so pain is considered the norm. Fortunately, when after the extraction of a tooth there are no complications. Inflammation of the gum canal can often be observed, which can cause weakness, hyperthermia and slight dizziness. The most common complication in recent years, dentists call the symptoms of postoperative alveolitis. How is the diagnosis carried out, how to recognize alveolitis, what should be done to prevent its development?

Signs of alveolitis with a photo

Alveolitis in dentistry is also called dry socket. After tooth extraction, a blood clot should form in the hole, which will prevent infection from outside and stimulate rapid healing. If there is no clotted blood, the process of tissue healing stops, infection of the wound occurs, which contributes to the development of dental complications. What does a dry or empty socket look like after a wisdom tooth is removed? You can see this in the photo for the article.

With this type of complication, inflammation can be observed on the outer edges of the resulting wound. After a while, the infection moves into the deep layers of the bone, which provokes the accumulation of pus and is fraught with such complications as osteomyelitis of the jaw. Unfortunately, the symptoms of inflammation of the initial stage of the alveoli are smoothed out and it is impossible to independently identify the pathology without a professional examination, so dentists recommend undergoing a routine examination as a result of dental intervention. As the infection progresses, the symptoms become brighter and cause severe pain. This is how you can characterize alveolitis - a condition after the removal of a diseased tooth.

Causes of alveolitis after tooth extraction

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Often the syndrome of inflammation in alveolitis can be observed as a result of the extraction of the third molar. Often, it can also develop during the extraction of other molars, in particular, in the lower jaw. Like other types of complications, the inflammatory process can form as a result of a complex dental intervention, especially in the following cases:

Imagine a damaged tooth, on the roots of which foci of inflammation have managed to form. After removal, some of the bacteria from the sacs of infection and pus rise to the socket. Thus, the primary infection of the wound occurs. Whether they can provoke the development of the disease alveolitis, including toxic fibrosing, depends on human immunity. The addition of an infection from outside can stimulate its development. Then we are already talking about an increased risk of secondary infection of the hole. Alveolitis of the socket of an extracted tooth can develop in the following situations:

dry socket syndrome - the absence of a protective blood clot and infection from the oral cavity;
during the extraction of a molar, fragments of bone, caries, stone, etc. penetrate deep into the hole;
non-observance of hygiene after dental intervention.

Dental caries can lead to alveolitis. If there are no serious indications for tooth extraction, the dentist suggests the patient to completely eliminate caries, remove inflammation in the mouth, and only then carry out extraction, which significantly reduces the risk of complications.

Post-extraction dental alveolitis is complicated in 3% of all dental interventions. More often, a complication is diagnosed as a result of the removal of teeth of the lower row, especially third molars. Soreness is localized in the area of the extracted tooth, but can radiate to the entire half of the face. After the removal of a wisdom tooth, a toxic fibrosing appearance is often diagnosed.

Varieties of the disease

Only a specialist can correctly diagnose a complication on the basis of radiography, a visual examination of the oral cavity, the area of inflammation and the study of patient complaints. In dentistry, there are several types of complications, each of which is characterized by its own symptoms and course:

The first signs indicating alveolitis disease should not be ignored. Ignoring the symptoms of complications can cause infection to enter the deep layers of the jawbone, and worsen the patient's condition. What to do in this case? See a dentist immediately for a professional oral exam.

In severe form of alveolitis, a more serious treatment is carried out with the use of antibacterial drugs and the systematic use of baths with antiseptic solutions. To enhance the effect of treating the disease of the walls of the alveoli, physiotherapy procedures are also prescribed. If the treatment does not bring the expected result and the hole remains dry, then the dentist prescribes another course of treatment.

Treatment at home

Alveolitis after tooth extraction responds well to treatment, especially if all precautions were taken in a timely manner. A dry socket after tooth extraction or its suppuration should always cause increased attention and stimulate the patient to immediately visit the dentist (we recommend reading:). In the event that in the near future there is no way to get to a specialist, then you can alleviate the condition at home. At the same time, it must be remembered that not all seemingly effective methods can bring the desired result and not aggravate the situation. Some lotions or rinses can cause inflammation to progress.

For example, often caring friends strongly recommend rinsing the hole with a soda solution or 3% hydrogen peroxide. At first glance, it may seem that both recipes have been tested for years and cannot do any harm. At the same time, dentists are categorically against such methods of treatment, because despite their antiseptic properties, they can finally remove the remnants of a blood clot from the hole, leaving the black hole completely exposed, like an open gate for infection. How are the procedures performed at home correctly if a dry tooth socket has formed after extraction?

Anesthesia

The development of alveolitis causes pain in the patient, especially on the 3-5th day after the intervention. The pain can be moderate, but sometimes too intense and pulsating, localized in the region of the hole and radiating to the entire half of the face. Warm compresses are contraindicated.

Instead, give preference to painkillers that the dentist prescribed immediately after extraction - Baralgin, Ketanov, Pentalgin, etc. If the pain does not subside, you can take a No-shpa tablet and apply a swab with an antiseptic drug.

rinses

Inflammation of the tooth socket can be treated by yourself only with safe means, natural antiseptics - a decoction of chamomile and sage. Traditional medicine always comes to the rescue. Dental problems are no exception, especially when fibrosing alveolitis is concerned. However, there are some important points to keep in mind:

after tooth extraction, it is forbidden to rinse the oral cavity with intense movements;
do not suck out the remains of a blood clot during rinsing;
carry out antiseptic rinses until the pain subsides.

Taking antibiotics

After the removal of the third molar, which most often causes post-extraction syndrome, dentists inject antibiotics into almost all patients. The subsequent administration of drugs is recommended in such cases:

In addition, dentists recommend taking antibiotics if the patient has not performed the correct antiseptic mouth rinse and with weakened immunity. The stress of having a dental procedure lowers your defenses and your body is unable to fight infections on its own. Remember that the entrance to the hole must be closed with a blood clot.

Prevention of inflammation of the hole

To reduce the development of any type of complication after tooth extraction, all recommendations of the dentist-surgeon should be taken with full responsibility. Refrain from hot food, smoking and alcohol, do not take a hot bath and limit strenuous exercise.

Dentists recommend rinsing the mouth correctly so as not to destroy the clot - keep the medicinal decoction in the mouth, slowly moving it along the oral cavity, and not rinse intensively. Do not touch the hole with your hands, which will avoid the penetration of infection. The temperature of the broth for rinsing should not exceed body temperature.
To avoid complications, before deciding to remove a diseased tooth, you need to contact a professional dentist. After tooth extraction, in no case do not remove the blood clot, which normally forms in the hole. Keep an eye on oral hygiene, especially if there are teeth affected by caries in the oral cavity.
To make sure that the wound is healing properly, be sure to make a return visit to the dentist in 2-3 days. If alveolitis is suspected, a serious diagnosis is carried out by a dentist.

Following all the recommendations, you can get rid of excruciating pain and maintain healthy gums. Remember that the treatment of alveolitis, the so-called post-surgical dry inflamed socket syndrome, always requires the intervention of a specialist.

Tooth extraction is a rather complicated procedure carried out with the help of surgery. In place of the removed dental unit, a deep hole remains, which bleeds and causes pain of varying intensity to the patient. It is impossible to say for sure how long the wound heals, since this process is individual. To prevent dangerous consequences and accelerate the healing of the hole formed after tooth extraction, careful care is recommended.

Why is tooth extraction so traumatic?

Regardless of the method of tooth extraction (extraction), this operation is associated with damage to the oral mucosa and the formation of a bone wound in place of the removed unit of a bone wound - a hole. Violation of the integrity of the skin can provoke the entry of pathogenic bacteria into the body.

The hole after tooth extraction heals for a certain time. During this period, food can get into it, as a result of the gradual decomposition of which inflammation inevitably develops. In addition, the inflammatory process in an open wound can be provoked by saliva, which, despite its disinfecting properties, is a carrier of pathogens.

In the process of extraction, if the integrity of the mucous membrane is violated, the vessels and nerve endings are injured, since the removal of the tooth root is associated with damage to the ligaments, muscle and other soft tissues. As a result of this, the hole formed after the extraction of the tooth looks inflamed at first.

Wound healing is usually accompanied by the following phenomena:

Such phenomena are considered normal signs of a healing hole. However, in case of their progression, it is urgent to see a doctor.

What can increase the risk of problems?

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The likelihood of developing complications depends on several factors. If the patient has taken blood-thinning medications shortly before the extraction, bleeding during and after the operation will be extremely difficult to stop. In addition, a blood clot will not form at the site of the extracted tooth, which should protect the hole from food and infection.

Not only the duration of wound healing, but also the likelihood of undesirable consequences depends on oral care after extraction.

If you do not rinse your mouth after each meal and neglect regular brushing of your teeth, after a short time a pathogenic environment will develop in the oral cavity.

How long does the gum last?

For each patient, tightening the hole has its own timing. The recovery period after extraction depends on the following factors:

age. The younger the patient, the faster regeneration processes proceed in his body. In this case, in the elderly, the postoperative period lasts 7-14 days longer than in younger patients.
The presence of foci of inflammation. This condition may be indicated by redness of the gum tissue. If such a symptom concerns a single-rooted tooth, the wound will heal 5-7 days longer than expected, if we are talking about a multi-rooted unit, the hole will be delayed 13-16 days longer than it would be in a standard situation.
Injury. Any surgical intervention is associated with a violation of the integrity of soft tissues. So, when removing a wisdom tooth, it is often necessary to make an incision on the gum in order to extract a deep root. In this case, the regeneration period can last up to 5 weeks.

Not the last role in the restoration of tissues after extraction is played by the state of the patient's immunity. If the defenses of his body are weakened, the wound will heal for a long time and poorly.

Stages of healing of the hole

After extraction, healing occurs in the hole left after the extracted tooth and in damaged gum tissues. At the first stage of rehabilitation, the gums are restored. After that, the formation of new bone tissue begins. Then it is compacted. Upon completion of this stage, the bone tissue is fused with the gum, this ends the postoperative period of extraction.

Not every patient has an idea of how the wound formed at the site of the extracted tooth should look like during healing. Below are photos of examples of its phased recovery, on the basis of which we can conclude how the standard postoperative period should proceed, not associated with certain complications.

Overgrowth of the soft tissues of the gums

After the operation, a blood clot should form at the site of the extracted tooth within 1-3 hours, it is strictly forbidden to touch it, since it prevents pathogenic microorganisms from entering the wound.

At this stage, brush your teeth regularly and rinse your mouth after every meal. In addition, during the recovery period, it is necessary to observe a special diet.

After 3-4 days from the moment of the operation, epithelialization of soft and hard tissues begins in the hole, accompanied by the formation of granulation tissues. At the same time, painful symptoms are significantly reduced, redness and swelling are reduced, the wound is covered with a white coating (we recommend reading:). Normally, the healing hole should have only white color. Other shades indicate developing complications. If the wound turns yellow, green or black, while exuding an unpleasant odor, then an inflammatory process has begun in the injured tissues and pus has accumulated.

When a wisdom tooth is removed, the gums recover much longer. This is explained by the fact that the wounds remaining after tearing out the "eights" in most cases are large. Often, the area of wisdom tooth extraction has to be sewn up, which not only prevents microbes from penetrating into the wound, but also accelerates its healing.

Formation of new bone tissue

On the 7-8th day after extraction, bone tissue begins to form. The blood clot remains in the cavity of the hole, there is no recess after tooth extraction. The patient no longer hurts the place of surgical intervention and he practically does not experience discomfort while chewing food. The process of new bone formation is usually completed by the end of 2 weeks. A month after extraction, the cavity of the hole will be almost completely filled with bone tissue. It finally overgrows, as a rule, in 2-3 months.

Bone thickening

At this stage, the formed bone tissues are compacted and after a certain period they turn into fully mature and strengthened bones. This process is necessary to replace a missing tooth.

This stage lasts about 4 months, which is how long it takes for the final formation of mature bones.

Fusion of bone tissue with the gum

At the final stage of the postoperative period, the formed bone tissue fuses with the existing jawbone. This process takes at least 4 months. However, the specified period is significantly increased if infection or other complications have been detected. In this case, the fusion will take 6-10 months.

How can you speed up healing: the rules for caring for the hole

After the operation, the patient receives recommendations for caring for the hole formed after the removal of the dental unit. Compliance with a number of rules will avoid undesirable consequences and speed up the rehabilitation period. Care for the hole is necessary as follows:

These rules must be strictly followed. Otherwise, complications may develop that require surgical removal.

What factors can hinder recovery?

The healing time of the wound formed as a result of tooth extraction is influenced by the professionalism of the dental surgeon, the condition of the periodontium and roots, as well as the correct implementation of hygiene procedures for the oral cavity. The rehabilitation period is delayed when the inflamed tooth is removed. Poor wound cleaning is also associated with an increase in the recovery period. In cases where food has got into an empty well with an unformed blood clot, there is a high risk of developing an inflammatory process, which will greatly complicate healing.

The use of a brush for cleaning the oral cavity, the bristles of which are inhabited by pathogenic microorganisms, can provoke inflammation and, as a result, prolonged tightening of the hole. In patients suffering from diabetes or pathologies of the circulatory system, the recovery period is often longer than in standard situations.

Possible Complications

As a result of tooth extraction, severe pathological processes can develop. Among them are such phenomena as:

Alveolitis. The disease is accompanied by an increase in pain, the appearance of bad breath, intense bleeding, hyperthermia, weakening of the body and severe headaches. This condition is dangerous by the ability to rapidly flow into osteomyelitis of the alveolar process.
Inflammation of the gum tissue. In this case, the hole is filled with pus, fibrous or granulation tissue, the gum becomes inflamed and bleeds, throbbing pains are felt in it (we recommend reading:).
Paresthesia. This condition develops as a result of injury to the nerve endings surrounding the extracted tooth, and is associated with paralysis of the gum tissues.
Changing the position of the teeth. This is due to incomplete extraction of the root or the development of inflammation in the area of surgical intervention.
Fracture of a tooth or jaw. To avoid these consequences, it is recommended to contact only highly qualified specialists.

When should you see a doctor?

The extraction procedure may be associated with certain signs indicating the development of dangerous pathological processes. These include the following states:

heavy bleeding lasting more than 3 hours in a row;
many hours of intense pain and swelling that does not subside;
hyperthermia lasting more than 1 day;
the formation of pus, associated with an unpleasant odor and pain in the wound;
headache attacks, accompanied by fever and swollen lymph nodes in the neck.

If at least one of these conditions occurs, you should immediately contact your doctor. In the event of the slightest delay, severe and dangerous consequences can develop.

Tooth extraction is an inevitable and highly undesirable last resort for some, a procedure that is perceived much more favorably than a long painful treatment. An injection, the movement of the surgeon's hand with the instrument - and the pain disappeared. But with the removal of the focus of infection, the rotting, decaying tooth structure that brings pain and suffering, relief lasts only as long as the anesthetic injection works. When the gum moves away from freezing, and its insensible numbness stops, it begins to hurt.

Why does a pulled tooth hurt?

Toothache from extracting the "subject of pain" - a damaged tooth - is not supernatural. According to all medical canons, tooth extraction is considered a surgical operation. Damaged living tissue of the gums and oral cavity can cause pain even more than what the patient experienced from inflammation or decay of the diseased tooth.

Soft tissues are known to have many nerve endings. The gums and mucosa are literally permeated with nerves, which, when exposed to them, transmit pain impulses to the brain. When a patient receives local anesthesia, the nerve endings temporarily atrophy and cease to perform their duties - to carry pain to the cells of the body. But here the anesthesia ends, and the nerve endings begin to work. Aching, dull, interfering with normal life, the pain continues, as a normal reaction to surgical intervention.

How normal is this, and how “according to the rules” should a tooth hurt after extraction. Weak. Not too intense. By fading. No more than three days. Particularly sensitive to trauma patients with a low pain threshold are given four days.

Important! If on the fifth day after tooth extraction the pain in the gums continues, and its intensity does not decrease, on the contrary, it increases, you need to see a doctor.

How the pain goes beyond the norm

The pain is intense, does not subside, increases or maintains its amplitude, lasts more than 3-4 days, it ceases to fit into the framework of the natural pain reaction of the body, which must be endured. There are well-defined causes of pathological pain after tooth extraction.

Poor quality treatment. The practice of dentistry is just as subject to the human factor as any activity involving a person. Often the surgeon does not completely remove the root, leaving part of the dental tissue, fragments of a cyst, a piece of cotton wool, a fragment of dental bone in the wound. All this becomes a hotbed of inflammation. And after a few days, the inflammatory process begins to actively develop.

Alveolitis. The cause of the pain is the absence of a blood clot. Any wound, especially in the gum, needs a blood clot (clot) to close it to heal tissues and block the path of infection. After the extraction of a tooth in the hole, this clot is formed. But for various reasons, it is broken or shifted. Also, patients often wash out this clot, for example, when they start rinsing the wound. As a result, the root hole remains open, an infection gets into it, inflammation begins, swelling of the gums. All this is accompanied by pain, which normally should not be.

By the way. If the patient is to have a simple (single-root) tooth removed, according to statistics, alveolitis occurs in 3% out of 100. When a complex tooth is removed, this figure rises to 20%.

dry hole. This is the most common complication, also associated with the absence of a formed blood clot, but with it, the hole from the root, on closer examination, remains dry, despite the moist environment in the mouth, and the bone is visible at the bottom of the hole. This problem is more likely to occur in smokers, in the elderly, in those who have hormonal problems. The pain in this case will be quite severe. And do not wait until it passes, the doctor will help by placing a tampon with medicine in the wound, which will moisturize and disinfect it.

Trigeminal neuritis. This cause of ongoing and incessant pain is familiar to patients who have had a bottom tooth removed. The lower jaw serves as a receptacle for the branched trigeminal nerve. The dentist, diligently pulling out a deep-seated tooth root, can damage this nerve. The probability is low - only about 10%. But if you fall into this number, the pain after removal and the end of the freezing action will be “shooting”, paroxysmal, not only in the gums and jaw, but also in the temples, around the eyes, even in the neck. Outwardly, the gum does not swell and does not look damaged, even redness is not observed. It is possible to identify neuritis only by the nature of the pain.

gum tumor

Often the pain from an extracted tooth is accompanied by a swelling of the gums. The phenomenon is not only not aesthetic, but, at times, dangerous.

In about half of the cases of removal, swelling after surgery is normal. It is associated with soft tissue injury. And if the swelling is temporary and transient. There is nothing to worry about, you need to “pass” it.

But if the phenomenon is accompanied by atypical pain that lasts longer than the prescribed time. Perhaps this is a pathology that a second visit to the surgeon will help to normalize.

There is nothing to worry about if the edema is expressed as follows:

swelling is not pronounced, decreases with time;
the temperature is not elevated;
the pain is moderate;
there is no unpleasant odor from the mouth.

By the way. There are exceptional cases when there is no severe pain from the extracted tooth, but there is swelling of the cheek, and it is growing. It does not happen often, mainly after the extraction of a tooth with pulpitis, if the root canals are not very carefully cleaned. In this case, a second visit to the surgeon is needed to prevent the formation of a cyst.

If the condition does not improve, but at least slightly worsens or the pain remains stable. If new aggravating symptoms appear that were not immediately after removal. Do not delay a visit to the doctor, it is better to play it safe and sign up for an examination.

It's time to go to the doctor

If you observe the following symptoms in yourself or loved ones for several days after the operation to remove a tooth (more than three days):

pain intensifies;
pain changes character or differs in specificity;
gums are reddened;
gums become bluish;
swollen gums;
a bad smell comes from the mouth;
swollen cheek;
increased body temperature;
pus comes from the root socket of the tooth.

Important! A place in the gum after tooth extraction begins to hurt after three hours. Normally, pain can be recurring or constant, subsiding or recurring. Starting from the third day, the pain decreases and completely disappears.

Difficult case

All previous specifications refer to conventional tooth extraction, with one or more roots. But there are times when the operation goes beyond the standard surgical procedure. These include the removal of a dystopian wisdom tooth. During this operation, which takes longer, all tissues are injured much more than with standard removal. Pain is allowed here in the postoperative period up to one and a half weeks. Also, the pain may be accompanied by swelling of the gums, swollen cheek, headaches, pain in the neck. All these symptoms are considered not dangerous and pass without medical or other intervention.

help yourself

Usually, surgeons do not recommend doing anything with the wound that remains after the extraction of the tooth. But pain is not at all necessary to endure, especially for people who have a low pain threshold. There is a whole arsenal of remedies, from official medicines to folk remedies that can reduce pain and alleviate the plight of a patient who has lost a tooth.

Table. Medicines that relieve pain after tooth extraction

A drug	Action
	The drug is potent. Pain relieves within 20 minutes. Moreover, it copes even with severe pain. Keeps the effect for 6 hours. It can be taken up to 4 times a day.
	Refers to super potent drugs. The pain goes away in a quarter of an hour. This drug should not be abused.
	It is not considered a serious anabolic that helps with toothache, but pain syndrome of mild to moderate severity relieves successfully.
	Even softer and weaker in action than analgin. Effective only for mild and non-intense pain.
	It has rather weak anabolic properties, but at the same time it has an anti-inflammatory effect, so it is preferred for moderate and mild pain to analgin and baralgin.

Each person is used to dealing with pain in their own ways. Only a group of ketorolacs helps someone, someone is quite content with baralgin. And someone does not have to take potent drugs with a bunch of side effects at all - simple folk remedies are enough.

People's Arsenal

The simplest, harmless and effective remedy, it can be used by everyone without exception to relieve postoperative toothache - cold compress. Effective in the first day after removal. In many private clinics, the patient is sent home after surgery with an ice pack applied to the cheek. At home, it is good to use ice, in which just water or a decoction of medicinal herbs is frozen. Any item from the freezer will do, such as a piece of frozen meat. Just wet towels with cold water, apply them and change as soon as they reach body temperature. There is a cooling patch in the pharmacy, which has the same effect as a compress - it freezes the nerve endings and relieves pain.

Important! Rinsing during tooth extraction can be used only after three days after the operation. And then it should not be rinsing, but rather baths. Take a herbal decoction or saline solution into your mouth, hold it without unnecessary movements of the liquid, and spit it out. All this, in order to quickly remove the inflammation, but not to move or wash off the blood clot.

A remedy that will not bring harm, but only benefit, is propolis. It has strong antibacterial properties, therefore, in order to normalize and disinfect the microflora in the mouth, it is recommended to hold a piece of propolis in the hole of the extracted tooth.

How to relieve pain after tooth extraction without drugs and other means

Severe pain that will occur after surgery can be partly avoided by taking some actions that are not related to taking medications or using folk remedies.

After the operation and the end of the anesthesia, it is better not to eat for as long as possible. Drink a cocktail, gazpacho, smoothies, liquid semolina, kefir, eat cream soup, preferably through a cocktail tube.
When you start eating, do not eat it too cold or hot.
Do not eat until the hole heals, sour, salty, spicy, sweet and bitter foods that irritate the mucous membrane.
The first three days do not disturb the wound. Do not touch with your tongue, and even more so do not pick with a toothpick, in a paranoid search for a fragment of a tooth that a negligent doctor left there.
Do not rinse your mouth, even with clean water.
Do not breathe through your mouth, especially the day after surgery. Along with cold air, which will irritate the wound, germs can also enter the mouth.
Try to refrain from smoking and alcohol, especially do not rinse the wound “for disinfection” with alcohol.
Do not stay in a room with a high temperature, do not visit a bath, sauna, do not take a hot bath.
Do not apply warm compresses to the gums.
Sleep on a high pillow.
High pillow - what you need after tooth extraction

Any surgical intervention leads to pain. Pain syndrome is a natural reaction of a healthy body to irritants of nerve endings. Listen to your body. Pain can either be a signal that everything is in order and the healing process is going well, or it can signal that something is wrong and you need help to prevent destructive consequences for the body.

Video - Tooth extraction

Video - What to do after tooth extraction

Tooth extraction is an extreme measure that doctors resort to when it is impossible to cure and save a tooth formation. Without a doubt, such a procedure is stressful for the body, it is traumatic and brings a lot of discomfort both during the process and for some time after it. Normally, the hole that remains after removal is filled with epithelial tissues within 10 days and disappears, but if there were violations in the procedure itself, or there was an impact of negative factors in the healing process, a complication called alveolitis may develop.

Essence of alveolitis after tooth extraction

What does alveolitis look like?

Alveolitis is an inflammatory process that develops in the tooth socket after traumatic extraction. Damage can affect both the socket itself and the surrounding gum tissue. This situation is considered a complication after the procedure and occupies a significant proportion of all possible consequences of incorrect removal - about 40% of cases.

Dentist's note: it is worth noting that most often alveolitis develops when the lower molars are affected. In the event that a wisdom tooth had to be removed, which erupted with certain difficulties, the probability of an inflammatory process is 20%.

The likelihood of such a complication largely depends on how the removal itself took place. So, with complicated procedures, the chances of getting an inflammatory process as a result are much higher.

The most dangerous situations in terms of the possibility of developing alveolitis include:

curvature of the roots of the removed tooth;
severe destruction, when the doctor has practically nothing to catch on with the instrument;
incomplete eruption and fragility of the tooth formation, when even a slight impact leads to destruction.

The inflammatory process can be triggered by various reasons, thus it is possible to distinguish groups of the disease according to the root cause of its development:

alveolitis due to violation of hygiene standards (in this case, inflammation may result from the use of untreated instruments, ignoring the rules of post-procedural care by the patient);
illness against the background of mechanical damage (getting a piece of a tooth, careless work of a dentist, etc.);
common causes (exhaustion of the body, low immunity, infection penetration even before the removal procedure, premature washing out of the blood clot from the hole).

Video about alveolitis

Is the doctor to blame for the development of the disease?

There is another aspect to the question of the reasons for the development of alveolitis after tooth extraction: there are a number of situations when such a complication can be provoked by factors independent of the specialist, and there are cases when the complication is a direct consequence of the wrong actions of the dentist.

The doctor is considered guilty of the development of the disease under such conditions:

the tooth was completely removed, but a cystic formation remained in the hole, which was not noticed by the doctor. Thus, after some time, infection of the blood clot occurs, and inflammation occurs;
during the extraction of the tooth, a fragment remained in the hole, injuring the tissues in the future;
due to the action of anesthesia, the hole did not immediately fill with blood, and the doctor did not pay attention to this and sent the patient home with a tampon in the recess;
a tooth was removed, in the tissues of which purulent inflammation occurred, and the doctor did not prescribe the necessary antibiotic therapy to prevent the development of alveolitis and eliminate the problem;
the tooth was not completely removed, the root remained in the hole.

Symptoms and signs of the disease

Symptomatic manifestations occur a few days after the removal procedure, and they can be divided into two groups. The first is general symptoms, the second is local.

Common symptoms include:

an increase in body temperature (usually the thermometer readings range from 37 to 38.5 degrees);
an increase in the lymph nodes in the jaw area and the occurrence of their painful sensitivity;
the appearance of a "bad" smell from the mouth.

Local symptoms of alveolitis:

the gum area around the extracted tooth is red and swollen;
there is no blood clot designed to perform a protective function;
the hole itself may be covered with a layer of grayish plaque;
often there is purulent discharge;
pain appears at the site of removal, it gradually intensifies and spreads to the head.

It is not difficult to diagnose the problem, the dentist establishes the presence of a complication based on a visual examination of the oral cavity, patient complaints and the results of an x-ray examination (in case the part of the tooth remaining in the hole was the cause of the disease).

First aid for suspected alveolitis

Chamomile decoction is a popular home antiseptic.

If after tooth extraction you have symptoms of developing inflammation, and there is no opportunity to immediately get to the doctor, then you can start taking the first steps at home. Rinses should be treated with caution, especially if they contain soda. Although it is the soda solution that is often used for diseases of the oral cavity, in the case of alveolitis, it can cause the blood clot to be washed out, which will further aggravate the situation. Among the permitted and relatively safe measures include natural antiseptics (for example, chamomile decoction), however, using such rinses, a number of rules should be taken into account:

it is forbidden to rinse the mouth intensively, it will be enough just to take the liquid into the mouth and hold it for several minutes;
no matter what the clot looks like, even if it fester or is colored black, in no case should you try to remove it from the hole;
the frequency of procedures should be as high as possible.

Even if the symptoms have passed, and it seems that the inflammatory process is no longer there, a visit to the doctor cannot be avoided. It is impossible to treat the disease at home without antibiotics or extracting the rest of the tooth, so all the measures described are only temporary and are designed to normalize the situation before a visit to the dentist.

Consequences and complications

Osteomyelitis - a terrible consequence of alveolitis

Alveolitis without treatment poses a serious threat to the human body, as there is a high risk of complications. If a purulent necrotic process is actively developing, then localized osteomyelitis can form, creating favorable conditions for abscesses and phlegmon. With the rapid spread of infection, a person is threatened with sepsis, and blood poisoning often leads to death.

Complex treatment of alveolitis

The procedure for the treatment of alveolitis is carried out according to the following algorithm:

the affected area is anesthetized;
the contents of the hole are washed out with antiseptic solutions;
dead tissues or fragments of the tooth are removed with a surgical spoon;
another washing of the area with an antiseptic agent is performed;
the hole is dried with a sterile swab;
it is possible to apply a tampon with a drug;
the wound is closed with a bandage or seized with several sutures.

As part of the treatment of alveolitis after tooth extraction, the following procedures and preparations can be used.

Type of exposure method	Name of procedure or drug	Purpose
Medical treatment	Antibiotics	Antibiotics are used to prevent the spread of the infection and destroy it. They should easily penetrate into soft tissues and bones, and also maintain their therapeutic concentration at the site of the lesion for the maximum possible time. These agents include macrolide drugs (carithromycin, sumamed), lincosamides (lincomycin), fluoroquinolones (levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin), etc.
	Anti-inflammatory	Pain in alveolitis can be quite strong, and anti-inflammatory drugs, eliminating one of the main manifestations of the disease, can reduce them. The doctor may prescribe ketonal, ibuprofen, nimesil, or voltaren.
	Antiseptics	Necessary for processing the hole of the extracted tooth and the oral cavity as a whole. For this purpose, conventional furatsilin and chlorhexidine are suitable. You can also use folk methods - prepare a decoction of chamomile or sage.
Physiotherapy	Fluctuating	As part of the procedure, the affected area is affected by pulsed low-frequency currents. This procedure has an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-edematous effect.
	microwave therapy	Ultra-high variable electromagnetic oscillations are used. It has an active anti-inflammatory effect.
	Helium neon laser	The doctor acts on the active points with a beam, activating the body's natural defenses. As a result, blood circulation in the affected area improves, inflammation symptoms decrease.

Alveolitis is a rather dangerous complication after tooth extraction, especially if you let the situation take its course - this threatens the development of processes that directly threaten the patient's life. With a timely visit to the doctor, getting rid of the problem is not difficult.