Does Wisdom Tooth Removal Hurt?

A numbing gel and then a local anaesthetic injection is given beside the tooth. The injection is the part most people notice, a pinch and then a heavy, thick-lipped numb feeling. After that you should feel touch, pressure and a pushing sensation, but not sharp pain.

You will hear and feel vibration if a drill is used to section an impacted tooth. That can sound worse than it feels. If you feel anything sharp, put your hand up and say so. The dentist can top up the anaesthetic, and it is a normal request.

For people with strong anxiety about dental work, call the clinic beforehand to talk through options.

The anaesthetic wears off in a few hours, and the pain starts then. Take your painkiller before the numbness has gone, as directed on the label, and keep taking it on schedule for the first day rather than waiting for it to peak.

Expect the worst of it on day one and into day two. Swelling and stiffness usually peak at 48 to 72 hours. After that, most people find it easing each day. Paracetamol or ibuprofen are the usual choices.

Avoid ibuprofen if you have stomach ulcers, kidney disease or asthma that it triggers, if you are on blood thinners, or if you are pregnant, unless your doctor says otherwise. The day-by-day picture is in the recovery guide.

An erupted upper tooth that comes out with forceps in a few minutes tends to give little pain afterwards. A lower tooth angled sideways under the gum, which needs a flap, some bone removal and stitches, gives more swelling and soreness.

Infection at the time of removal. Anaesthetic works less well in inflamed tissue and the extraction is harder, which is why an active flare of pericoronitis is usually settled first.

A long or difficult procedure, smoking afterwards, and disturbing the clot all make the recovery worse. Following the aftercare is the part you control.

Your own sensitivity differs from other people's, so a friend's account is not a prediction. The wisdom tooth pain page lists what the dentist assesses first.

Pain that eases for a day or two and then returns as a deep throbbing ache, sometimes spreading to the ear, may be dry socket. It is quick to treat, so do not sit through it.

Same-day care is needed for swelling that keeps growing after day three, fever, pus, or difficulty opening your mouth or swallowing. If breathing or swallowing is affected, go to a hospital emergency department.

A tingling or numb lip or chin that lasts after the anaesthetic should have worn off needs to be reported to the dentist.