Will Your Wisdom Teeth Stitches Dissolve on Their Own?

You’re planning to have your wisdom teeth removed soon, and you’re making sure you’re prepared by learning as much as you can about the treatment. Recently, you found out that stitches may be placed after the extraction is complete, but you’re not entirely sure what will happen after that. Do wisdom teeth stitches eventually dissolve by themselves? Or will you have to schedule another appointment to have them taken out? Your dentist is here to explain what you can usually expect.

Why are Wisdom Teeth Stitches Needed?

If your wisdom teeth are impacted (in other words, they are trapped under your gums and are unable to erupt properly), surgery will be required to remove them. The surgical process will involve making incisions in the gum tissue to access the teeth. In order to ensure that the gums are able to heal correctly, stitches are typically placed in order to keep the tissues together. Said stitches can also help keep bleeding and swelling under control.

Do Wisdom Teeth Stitches Eventually Dissolve?

In many cases, the answer is yes. Your wisdom teeth stitches will typically slowly start to disintegrate over time, and after a week or two they will be entirely gone. The stitches shouldn’t cause you any discomfort as they dissolve, although they may come loose at a certain point.

It should be noted that some dentists and oral surgeons will use wisdom teeth stitches that do not dissolve. In these cases, a follow-up appointment will be scheduled so that the stitches can be removed. Said appointment will typically take place around 7 to 10 days after your wisdom teeth extraction.

What Kind of Aftercare is Needed After Wisdom Teeth Extraction?

To protect your stitches and make sure nothing goes wrong while your mouth is still healing, you will need to follow any aftercare instructions that you’re given. Here are some general guidelines:

• After a day has passed, use salt water to clean the area around the extraction site.
• Take any antibiotics that you were prescribed.
• When flossing or brushing, stay away from the extraction site for around 3 to 7 days.
• Eat only soft foods like yogurt, mashed potatoes, and scrambled eggs. Stay away from anything hard, crunchy, sticky, or overly chewy.
• Call your dentist or oral surgeon immediately if you are experiencing concerning symptoms such as excessive bleeding or discomfort.

Having stitches placed is often an important part of recovering from wisdom tooth removal. If you have any questions regarding your stitches, don’t hesitate to let your dentist or oral surgeon know.

About the Practice

At Renaissance Dental, our dentists will always take the time to get to know you better and learn more about your goals for your smile. Our team is happy to work with patients of all ages. If you have problematic wisdom teeth, we can extract them to prevent further discomfort. To schedule a consultation at Renaissance Dental in Fort Worth, visit our website or call (817) 289-5200.