“Do wisdom tooth abscesses take a long time to heal?”
I got an abscess after getting my wisdom teeth extraction. How long will it take to heal and go away?
10 Answers
1 week
Infection after an extraction can happen but is rare. A more common problem post extraction would be a dry socket. A dry socket is a very painful condition but will usually heal within a few weeks without treatment. With treatment, the pain will go away much quicker.
In dentistry an abscess is an infection with swelling and possibly pus. If caused by a tooth, this can lead to the tooth being extracted or in some instances a root canal. If you are swollen after wisdom teeth extraction it may be trauma or lingering infection. You should follow up with the surgeon who removed the teeth. Are you on an antibiotic? If the area throbs like a toothache you may have a dry socket and this means you'll need an additional procedure. Things should feel pretty normal 2 weeks after the procedure.
Get it checked as soon as possible, in that area there are major nerves and blood vessels and infections can cause severe problems.
Sometimes the body needs extra help to get rid of that kind of infection (antibiotics).
I always check on my patients one week post extractions to make sure all is well.
Sometimes the body needs extra help to get rid of that kind of infection (antibiotics).
I always check on my patients one week post extractions to make sure all is well.
If you are talking about a dry socket, it will take some time to heal, maybe a couple of weeks. If it is an actual abscess, then it will require antibiotics and it should clear up within a week.
Most abscesses require antibiotics to clear up. The usual course of antibiotics is anywhere from 7-10 days. This is not always a permanent solution to this type of dental problem. Extraction or root canal treatment is more of a long term solution to get rid of an abscess.
Well, it depends, did they put you on an antibiotic or did you have a dry socket following the wisdom tooth extraction? The dentist typically can pack the extraction site with special dry socket paste that has eugenol in it to alleviate any discomfort. Please continue to do warm salt water rinses also. Try also to not smoke cigarettes or use vape electronic cigarettes for that decreases wound healing. If you are swollen, then I would go back to the dentist and have him reevaluate what's going on, okay?
Thank you. Feel better!
Thank you. Feel better!
Typically, improvement should start quickly. If you do not think things are healing as well as they should, contact your surgeon. Complete healing and filling of the socket takes months.
A wisdom tooth abscess isn't much (if at all) different from any other abscess. If your health is good, your immune system healthy and normal, you take antibiotic and treat the area with care the abscess should go away very quickly. It may take longer for the hole to heal, but keeping it clean with irrigation should speed the process.
You did not develop an abscess after your wisdom tooth was removed. If you had intense pain about 3 days after the tooth was removed, you may have a dry socket. This needs immediate dental attention and you need to see either your general dentist or, if the tooth was removed by an oral surgeon, the oral surgeon. A tooth abscess only develops if there is a tooth present. I recommend you have this looked at immediately.
Best regards,
David M. Kaffey, DDS
Best regards,
David M. Kaffey, DDS
