I wish I had taken my son back to his pediatric dentist because she was gentle and never had any complications as I’ve seen over the past 3 days. He had all 4 wisdom teeth removed 2 days ago. His face and eye are swollen. I’m wondering if he is going to need additional surgery or if the swelling will permanently damage his eye. I hate that this is happening now. I wanted his oral surgeon to delay the extractions, but my son has been in so much pain. Is there anything I can do at home or do I need to get an emergency appointment? Carter from Shreveport.
Carter,
Two days after surgery is usually the peak time for swelling after wisdom tooth removal. The swelling is worse when wisdom teeth are impacted. If an upper tooth is difficult to remove, or if the oral surgeon had to remove some bone to access the tooth, it’s not unusual to have swelling around or in the eye.
Common Signs and Symptoms After Wisdom Tooth Extractions
- Slight to moderate bleeding
- Swelling
- Minimal to moderate pain
- Nausea
No doubt, the oral surgeon gave you post-operative instructions. They should include directions on how to address the above symptoms. Follow the instructions carefully, and you should expect a steady recovery for your son. If his pain and swelling increase, call the oral surgeon.
If you and your son were not expecting pain and swelling—and if there was difficulty extracting any of the teeth but you were not told about it—let the oral surgeon know how the lack of communication affected you. Most dentists will give you a thorough explanation of what to expect before, during, and after tooth extraction.
Would a Pediatric Dentist Have Completed a Better Wisdom Tooth Extraction?
Pediatric dentists don’t extract wisdom teeth
No. Pediatric dentists try to preserve kids’ primary teeth so they can guide permanent teeth to the correct position. They don’t do lots of tooth extractions for children—and certainly not for adults. Although your son’s former dentist may be gentle, it’s unlikely that she is trained to remove impacted wisdom teeth.
An oral surgeon, or a family dentist with advanced oral surgery training, is the right choice for wisdom tooth removal. Due to misunderstanding or miscommunication, your son has more pain and swelling than you expected, but it’s common for two days after surgery.
Don’t ignore the signs and symptoms if they don’t improve in a day or two, or if they get worse.
Monroe, LA dentist Dr. David Finley sponsors this post.
