Jaw Pain After Wisdom Teeth Removal

One of the most common dental procedures is tooth extraction. Even if you haven’t experienced it before, you must have heard much about it, including the fact that tooth extraction can hurt a lot. It’s because recovery after tooth extraction demands proper attention and care to avoid any complicated scenarios like the much-observed jaw pain after wisdom teeth removal.

Today, we’ll explain how to manage and healthily recover from jaw pain stemming from tooth extraction.

Why Should I Get My Wisdom Teeth Extracted?

Many issues related to the teeth can result in possible tooth extraction. Mostly, the last set of molars is extracted, typically the wisdom teeth. Tooth extraction of wisdom teeth is best done between the ages of 17 to 25 years.

However, each person experiences a different age of wisdom teeth growth. In some cases, it may not emerge rightfully due to lack of space, which also leads to pain and discomfort—hence becoming a reason for tooth extraction. But jaw pain after wisdom teeth removal is quite an unpleasant experience as well.

How Long Will Your Jaw Hurt After Tooth Extraction?

In most cases, jaw pain after wisdom teeth removal is common. The recovery duration of jaw pain after wisdom teeth removal varies depending upon different factors. But generally, you can expect considerable recovery from jaw pain three weeks after wisdom tooth extraction.

Process of Recovery After Tooth Extraction

This is the whole process your oral mucous membrane goes through after tooth extraction surgery:

Initially, blood clot formation takes place within the first 24 hours of the surgery.
In the next 2-3 days, swelling and inflammation in the mouth and cheek begin decreasing.
The stiffness of the jaw and jaw pain after wisdom teeth removal will be minimized in between 7-10 days.
If there are any other bruises visible on the face, they also start fading within two weeks post-surgery.
In the case of stitches, your dentist will typically remove them by the end of the first week (it may take more time if the case is complex and vice versa).

What Are The Causes of Jaw Pain After Wisdom Teeth Removal?

As many patients report about their jaw hurting after wisdom teeth removal, let’s ponder upon the possible causes of their pain:

Oral Infection

Swollen pockets of pus on gums can appear after wisdom teeth extraction surgery. The main cause of an oral infection is poor oral hygiene and improper care of the orally incised area post-extraction. To prevent this, keep your mouth clean and free of food particles.

Dry Socket

Another thing that can cause jaw pain after wisdom teeth extraction is a dry socket. A dry socket is usually formed when there is a dislodged blood clot at the extraction site. The clot formed here is essential for the protection of the bone and nerves in this area.

But when the clot is dislodged or lost, the extraction site becomes overly sensitive, hence causing jaw pain. A dry socket can be prevented by avoiding the use of any pointy objects like straws, cigarettes, or forks.

Sore Muscles

Wisdom teeth extraction is a long surgery, especially for the patient because they have to keep their mouth open until the surgery is complete. Although their mouth is kept open with the help of special instruments, the jaw muscles still feel the tension, which results in a sore jaw after wisdom teeth are pulled. The soreness then causes jaw pain post-extraction. However, it resolves on its own and isn’t a serious issue.

Pain in TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint)

There are also cases when the surgery can cause pain in TMJ from wisdom teeth removal. Such scenarios are rare, but they do exist, and the most probable cause is TMJ disorders in such patients. Pain in TMJ from wisdom teeth removal needs to be evaluated as soon as possible and treated by a professional dentist.

How to Manage Jaw Pain After Wisdom Teeth Extraction?

Since we have discussed the probable causes of jaw pain after wisdom teeth extraction, here is how you can manage the pain effectively:

Treatment of Oral Infection: Your dentist will drain the pus from the infected site and give you antibiotics to prevent the infection from spreading further.

Treatment of Dry Socket: A professional dentist will clean the affected site and apply a medicated ointment for pain relief

Treatment of Sore Pain: Your dental care provider will teach you some easy-to-do jaw exercises to get rid of muscle soreness in the jaw.

Treatment of TMJ Pain: Your dentist can provide you with specified therapies and interventions to alleviate TMJ-related pain in the jaw.

Other than issue-specific treatment options, you can also make use of a warm compress. After using ice packs initially for the first 2-3 days after tooth extraction, use a hot towel to compress. Doing this will relax the muscles surrounding the wisdom tooth. A hot water bag can also be used for a warm compress several times every day.

When Should You Contact The Dentist After Wisdom Tooth Removal?

Be mindful during and after the tooth extraction procedure. Be aware of any side effects that you can deduce from the following signs and contact our wisdom teeth experts in NJ as soon as possible:

Infection signs (pus formation, blood in gums, ulcers, and blisters)
High fever and chills
Infection and chest pain (Angina)
Vomiting or nausea
Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and coughing

Conclusion

Jaw pain after wisdom teeth extraction is completely normal, and the pain subsides within three weeks. However, it would help if you took care of your oral hygiene and extracted area as per your dentist’s advice.

If proper care isn’t provided to a newly extracted tooth site, serious complications can occur, which can be even more painful than the tooth extraction process itself.

Contact Hesed Dental Clinic For Seamless Wisdom Tooth Extraction

If you have jaw pain after wisdom teeth removal or want to have a consultation about your toothache, you can call us or find us online at Hesed Dental Clinic for a professional and effective treatment.

Our knowledgeable and professional staff is always ready to gently and effectively perform your wisdom teeth removal in NJ.