Tooth extraction healing - How long does it take?

For the easiest and most routine extractions, you may be able to return to non-strenuous activities even the same day of your extraction (possibly after a short period recuperation). You'll need to ask your dentist for their opinion on this matter.

Difficult or involved extractions.

In the case of relatively involved or difficult extractions, or cases where some method of patient sedation has been used, your dentist may feel strongly that you must limit your activities during this initial 24 hour period.

It's important to follow their recommendation, your safety may be involved. And remember, the way you take care (or don't take care) of your extraction site during this initial period will set the stage for the healing process that follows.

B) Extraction site healing - Weeks 1 and 2.

What will you notice?

During the first two weeks after your surgery, you should notice that the gum tissue that surrounds your extraction site has completed a significant amount of healing. (As a point of reference, it's usually considered that enough gum tissue healing has taken place by days 7 through 10 that stitches can be removed.)

Especially toward the end of this time frame, you should find that the site really isn't much of a problem or bother. However, the relative amount of healing that's been able to take place will be influenced by the initial size of the wound. Wider and deeper wounds require a greater amount of time to fill in and close.

Restrictions on activities.

It is important to understand that the tissue that initially forms during the healing process is quite vascular (contains a large number of blood vessels). So, if you inadvertently traumatize it (like with food or while brushing), you can expect it to bleed easily. You can also expect this newly formed tissue to be tender when accidentally touched or prodded.

C) Extraction site healing - Weeks 3 and 4.

What will you notice?

By the end of the 3rd to 4th weeks after your tooth extraction, most of the soft tissue healing will have taken place. You'll probably still be able to see a slight indentation in your jawbone that corresponds with the tooth's original socket. And this dimple may persist for even some months. But for the most part the tissue in the area of the extraction site will be smooth, pink and healed over.

Restrictions on activities.

You may notice that the new gum tissue that has formed has some tenderness, like when jabbed by hard foods. But this trauma is not likely to result in bleeding.

D) Bone tissue healing.

When you have a tooth 'pulled,' it's the healing of your jaw's bone tissue that takes the greatest amount of time. In general, it takes on the order of 6 to 8 months for new bone to substantially fill in the tooth's empty socket space.

What will you notice?

During the initial weeks of the healing process it will be easy for you to see and feel a pronounced 'hole' in your jawbone that corresponds with the extracted tooth's socket. (Especially large or deep sockets may require "irrigation" to keep them clean.)

Then, as the following weeks and months go by, this hole will become narrower and shallower, until it finally becomes just a dimple. Ultimately this indentation will level out with the surrounding bone tissue.

Restrictions on activities.

Don't expect that you'll be incapacitated, or even inconvenienced, during this 6 to 8 month time period required for bone healing. For the most part, the events that take place will be little noticed by you.

Treatment timing - Making plans to replace your missing tooth.

The fact that it takes as long as 6 to 8 months for the bulk of the jawbone healing process to take place doesn't mean that you have to wait that long until your tooth's space can be filled in using some type of dental restoration or appliance.

Wait periods.

It's true that with many types of restorations (dental bridges, partial dentures, some dental implants) there typically is a healing 'wait' period that must be adhered to for best results. (Probably on the order of 1 to just a few months.)

But even if this wait period is needed, there should be some type of temporary dental prosthesis that your dentist can place for you to wear until that point in time when your jawbone's healing has advanced enough that a permanent one can be made.