Don’t be fooled on day 3 after immediate dentures
Day 3 after immediate dentures is a key turning point in the healing process. On day three, the pain should be going down. However, people get worried because swelling is often the same or worse on day three than it was on day one. Day three is also the point when dry socket can show up in addition to denture sore spots.
Keep reading to find out how to spot each of these signs! Check out our post-operative guidelines by clicking HERE.
1. Pain
By day 3, pain is typically going down or even nearly gone. Some people still experience pain after day three, but the norm is to expect pain to start going away. It’s the day that relief normally starts.
2. Swelling
The thing that worries people on day 3 is normally the swelling. When pain goes down, we expect swelling to go down too, but on day three after immediate dentures, the swelling usually stays the same or even increases some. This is normal and the swelling will go down in a day or two. Using ice packs can greatly reduce swelling and speed healing.
Important: If you’re on day 1 after immediate dentures, do not remove the denture in the first 24 hours unless your dentist tells you to remove the denture. Having it in continually is key to reducing swelling and bleeding right at the beginning of healing. When people remove the denture too soon, swelling blows up and they can’t get it back in for several days. Not only is that awkward, but it’s also very uncomfortable and slows healing.
or
3. Dry Socket
If dry socket is going to happen, it will typically occur sometime between days 3-5 after getting your teeth pulled. You’ll know when it happens. Dry socket causes intense pain in the extraction sites that isn’t fixed by normal pain medication like ibuprofen or Tylenol. Call your dentist if your pain starts spiking uncontrollably on days 3-5 after immediate dentures. Salt water rinses are your friend in helping minimize your risk of dry socket. Rinse your mouth several times a day with salt water – you’ll find the best recipe in our post-op instructions here.
4. What if Bleeding Continues?
By day 3, heavy bleeding should have stopped. Light pink in your saliva is ok; however, if heavy bleeding continues today, you need to call your dentist. Oozing or short episodes of bleeding as tissue heals can be normal. The bulk of the bleeding should stop in the first 24 hours after surgery.
Don’t just hope it will stop at this point – call your dentist and ask for advice. Your dentist knows your health condition and knows all the details of your surgery. He’ll be able to tell you what to do.
5. Sore Spots
Denture sore spots can happen anytime in the first several weeks. If you get sore or raw spots on your gums, cheeks or palate, call your dentist. If we made your denture, then we know that it was carefully shaped and smoothed prior to delivering it. Even a smooth denture needs additional adjustment to reduce pressure spots. This is a normal part of the healing process. Depending on the office, denture adjustments may be included in your denture price or a separate visit fee.
In addition to these adjustments that remove the pressure spots causing the sores, we also recommend rinsing with salt water several times a day to keep your gums as happy as possible. Your lips should also be kept moist with an ointment, particularly at the corners of the mouth, to prevent drying and cracking. Stay on the soft food diet until your denture feels well adjusted. It can take several weeks and adjustments to reach this point since your mouth will continually change shape as it first heals. Expect to need several adjustments to keep the denture fitting comfortably.
How can you minimize problems after extractions?
Follow your doctor’s instructions. Click HERE to access the post-operative instructions that we offer all of our patients after receiving their immediate dentures.
You’ll find more information about Same Day Healing Dentures Here.
