How Long Does Pain Last After a Tooth Extraction?

The degree and length of time of pain suffered following a tooth extraction can be very variable, depending on which tooth is involved and whether there were complicating factors such as infection present or breaking of the tooth making extraction difficult.

The extraction of a first tooth for a child, although upsetting for the child, would not be expected to produce much, or any pain afterwards. The roots of the first teeth resorb, i.e. shrink back naturally as the child gets older so preparing their way for natural shedding. The removal of a small tooth with little root would not cause a problem.

In an adult the teeth are much larger and more firmly rooted, and hence require more force to remove them. A single rooted front tooth would be much easier to extract than a multi-rooted back tooth. A multi-rooted back tooth may have roots in several directions and may take time to loosen in its socket by persistent rocking forward and backward. If a root should fracture during this process it may make the removal of the broken part difficult as there may be nowhere to obtain an adequate grip. In this instance it may be possible to elevate the root fragment from the socket, or it may be necessary to surgically expose part of it by cutting through adjoining gum and removing some of the covering bone. The more the tissues are interfered with and traumatised during the extraction process the more likely it is for post-operative pain to ensue.

A straightforward extraction of a tooth with forceps and without complications is likely to result in pain lasting only two or three days. Usually the pain is of a dull or slightly throbbing nature and is kept under control by taking some ibuprofen of sufficient strength. If the tooth had some infection around it, there may be some swelling of the gums or the soft tissues in the area of the tooth. In this case pain may continue for longer, but should still ease off within four to five days. If it does not, and particularly if the swelling should get worse, then you should see your dentist again as antibiotics may be necessary.

Sometimes it is necessary to take a surgical approach to extract a tooth, as in the case of an impacted wisdom tooth or a buried tooth or piece of tooth, for example. Here it is necessary to cut the gum, pull back a flap, and remove some bone in order to get adequate access to the tooth. A surgical extraction is likely to be associated with more post-operative pain than normal and it could last up to a week.

Another cause of post-extraction pain is a “dry socket”. This is caused by an inadequate blood clot forming in the socket, or more commonly by the clot having been washed out. The reason your dentist asks you not to rinse out for twenty four hours after an extraction, or only rinse very gently, is to avoid this loss of the blood clot which is an important protection for the tooth socket. If the clot is lost prematurely then the bone at the base of the socket is exposed and can be very painful. The socket heals much quicker and better with a plug in place, filling up gradually with new tissue that eventually becomes new bone, from the base of the socket. If you find you have pain that comes on a couple of days after your extraction, a dry socket may be the cause and you would be wise to see your dentist again as can put dressings in to reduce the pain. Unfortunately the pain from a dry socket can be quite severe and last up to seven or eight days.

Related posts:

1. How to Stop the Bleeding from a Pulled Tooth
2. How Much Does it Cost to Pull a Wisdom Tooth?
3. Bruxism Treatment for Jaw Pain: What Works Best?
4. How is a Tooth Prepared for a Crown?
5. What Are Some Foods That Prevent Tooth Decay?

Filed under: Dental Health • dental care • wisdom teeth

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