Expert: Mark Bornfeld DDS - 8/31/2006

Question
I had me two lower wisdom teeth removed a week ago. The on right healed fine, but the one on the left still has swelling. The swelling feels kinda soar and there are yellow bruise on the outside skin. Also, there is a pocket like space at the site of wisdom teeth on left, it is not painful or cause bad smell, but food does stuck there sometimes.

I just wonder if this is normal and how long it takes for this pocket to close. Is there anything I should do to speed up the healing?

Thanks a lot!

Answer
Dear Tim,

At only one week postoperatively, your description is consistent with what you can expect with normal healing. The contour that the gums assume during the healing process is highly variable, and reflects the amount of surgical manipulation that the extraction entailed. The bruising on the skin is likewise typical, and will fade with time.

You can probably expect it to take several more weeks for the wounds to cover over completely; as long as the areas improve with time, there is no need to intervene.

Hope this helps...

Mark Bornfeld DDS
www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY