The removal itself should not be painful, because local anaesthetic numbs the tooth, gum and bone; you feel pressure and pushing rather than sharp pain. Soreness, swelling and some jaw stiffness are normal for a few days afterwards. A simple, fully erupted wisdom tooth is usually much easier than a deeply impacted lower one that needs surgery.
Wisdom tooth removal has a fearsome reputation, mostly from stories about the days after a difficult surgery. The procedure in the chair and the recovery at home are two different experiences, and it helps to understand both separately.
Your dentist or surgeon first gives local anaesthetic (an injection that blocks the nerves around the tooth). For lower wisdom teeth this is usually a nerve block given further back in the mouth, which numbs half the lower lip and tongue. The injection is a brief pinch and a few seconds of stinging. After that, sharp pain should be switched off.
What local anaesthetic does not remove is the sense of pressure. You will feel firm pushing, rocking and vibration. If the tooth needs surgery, you may also hear the drill as a little bone is removed or the tooth is cut into pieces to lift it out more gently. These sensations are strange but not painful. If you feel anything sharp, raise your hand: more anaesthetic can be given, and you should never be asked to tolerate pain.
Numbness wears off over a few hours. Then expect an ache in the area and the jaw, usually worst on day one and two, and clearly easier by day three or four. Swelling of the cheek often peaks around day two and then settles. Stiffness when opening the mouth wide is common after lower surgery. Most people manage this with the painkillers their dentist prescribes, taken on time rather than waiting until the pain is bad.
Our written aftercare, which you will also receive on paper, includes biting on gauze for 45 minutes, ice packs 20 minutes on and off three to four times, no spitting, straws or smoking in the first day, and warm saltwater rinses only after 24 hours. Following it closely genuinely reduces pain.
Pain should improve a little each day. If it eases and then becomes worse around day two to four, throbbing towards the ear with a bad taste, the clot may have been lost: this is dry socket (alveolar osteitis). Increasing swelling after day three, fever, pus or difficulty swallowing need to be seen. Call us on 8484 990 678; Kharadi is open until 11 PM.
Our registration form asks how anxious you are, so please answer honestly; it changes how we pace the visit. Appointments are long slots, so nobody is rushed. Difficult and impacted teeth are planned and removed with our oral and maxillofacial surgery department, after X-rays show exactly how the tooth sits. Eating a proper meal about an hour before surgery, as our instructions advise, also helps you feel steadier in the chair. Read the full procedure on our wisdom tooth extraction page.
Kharadi runs late. Reception will tell you honestly whether you need an appointment yet.
Book — Rs 500 ☎ 8484990678