Tooth Extraction with Bone Graft: Aftercare and Healing Time

What Is a Tooth Extraction?

It is a procedure for removing a tooth from your mouth. Tooth extraction in Torrance, CA, are permanent procedures that preserve oral cavities by removing problematic teeth. Since adult teeth do not grow back after extraction, dentists ensure only to perform the treatments on a need basis. Various reasons can necessitate a tooth extraction procedure, including the following:

1. Severe tooth decay
2. Deep tooth fracture
3. Advanced periodontal disease
4. Impacted teeth
5. Dislodged or knocked-out teeth
6. Risk of infection

What Is Bone Graft?

It is a transplanted bone tissue that restores the jawbone’s health. Usually, bone grafting or osteoplastic surgery is necessary to repair and rebuild a weak jaw. Ridge preservation, a type of bone grafting procedure, is often performed immediately after tooth extraction to prevent bone loss and maintain the jaw’s natural contour. A family dentist near you will typically recommend a bone graft surgery to patients that want to undergo a tooth replacement procedure with dental implants. The reason is that dental implants rely on a healthy jawbone to remain steady and stable in the mouth.

Ridge preservation : Tooth Extraction with Bone Graft

Why Is a Bone Graft Necessary After Tooth Extractions?

Bone grafting surgery is not mandatory after every tooth extraction near you. However, if you want dental implants soon, you may need a bone graft immediately after tooth extraction.

The role of the bone graft is to fill the void left behind after extracting the tooth. When the graft fills the void, it prevents the adjacent teeth from shifting. This procedure is crucial for patients who may take a while before replacing their teeth. Ideally, the longer you go without teeth, the more inactive your jawbone is. The inactivity prompts your body to start breaking and dissolving the bone tissue around the lost tooth. A bone graft procedure prevents this regeneration process.

What to Expect After Both Surgeries?

Tooth extraction and bone grafting surgeries are both invasive dental protocols that can result in pain, swelling, bleeding, and discomfort. At Sparkle Family Dentistry, we utilize local anesthesia and sedation dentistry to alleviate pain and provide relaxation during the procedure. This approach helps numb the mouth and calms the patient, often leading to a situation where the patient does not remember the specifics of their treatment. Additionally, there is a risk of developing dry socket, a condition that occurs when the blood clot at the site of tooth extraction fails to develop, or it dislodges or dissolves before the wound has healed. It’s essential to follow aftercare instructions carefully to prevent this painful complication.

After the surgeries, the common side effects are:

1. Swollen and tender gums
2. Sensitive gums and dental pain
3. Bleeding – and streaks of blood in your saliva

Aftercare Measures After Tooth Extraction with Bone Graft

After enduring two invasive procedures, you must be intentional about your recovery journey. Some tips to consider are:

1. Take pain medication – to ease the swelling and pain, take prescribed medicine.
2. Keep the gauze in place until the bleeding stops. You may need to change the gauze for a clean one after a few minutes to avoid infection.
3. Keep your mouth clean – plaque and bacteria build-up will result in an infection on your wound before it heals.
4. Cold compress with an ice bag against the affected side of the cheek. The cold will constrict the blood vessels, alleviating swelling and inflammation.
5. Avoid brushing the surgical site – although keeping good oral hygiene is paramount, be gentle with your gums around the extraction site. Any forceful motion or abrasion can worsen your pain and affect your wound.
6. Eat soft and bland foods – hard and crunchy foods are too abrasive for your wound. Spicy and heavily seasoned foods will also trouble your wound.
7. Refrain from physical exertions – too many physical movements increase blood flow, heightening the surgical site’s bleeding.
8. Quit smoking and taking alcohol – they promote inflammation, worsen bleeding, and slow healing.

How Long Will Healing Take?

Healing differs for different patients. Some heal quicker than others. Generally, it takes between 7 and 14 days to heal after a standard tooth extraction procedure. However, proper healing after a dental bone graft takes longer. Patients heal for between three and nine months or longer. Different factors impact your healing speed, including your body’s immune system, the location of the bone graft, and your aftercare measures post-surgery. However, you must be patient with your healing process because you cannot do much to speed up the process. Check the progress of your healing by evaluating the outer covering of the wound. Further, visit your dentist regularly for dental exams, checking whether the wound is healing properly.