When Do Stitches Dissolve After Wisdom Teeth Surgery

Understanding Wisdom Teeth Surgery and Stitches

Wisdom teeth extraction is a very common dental surgical procedure, and it is highly important for people’s oral health (and it is just as well the most necessary one). For most wisdom teeth extractions, the dentist or oral surgeon closes the wound with stitches to enable the healing to take place. Once the wisdom teeth have been removed, the dentist can put stitches on the surgical area to help the wound heal.

These stitches are especially characterized as being easily soluble, due to which they may wither off without the requirement of any professional observance or participation, which is undoubtedly their unique feature.

How Long Does It Take for Wisdom Teeth Stitches to Dissolve?

Basically, the absorbable sutures used in wisdom teeth extraction will detach within 7 to 10 days from the time of the operation. Nevertheless, it is a slightly longer period of around 2 to 4 weeks when they come out of the mouth completely. The period can vary based on factors such as the type of suture used, the difficulty degree of the tooth removal, and the healing condition of the patient’s body.

Factors That Affect Stitch Dissolution Time

A few existing considerations may affect how fast the sutures dissolve. For example:

• Stitch Material: One of the factors related to the construction of the absorbing stitches is the material from which the dissolvable sutures are made. Phasing out the use of old materials, there are, however, no practically untreatable consent defects in projects of decent patients. Thus, synthesizing new materials was possibly the most effective approach if the target was to provide the same sort of favorable conditions for a patient with the altered constitution.
• Healing Process: Besides the correct characteristics of the wound, the natural healing process is the real factor that mainly determines the dissolution speed of the sutures. There could be a case of quicker disintegration of the sutures if the wound is uninfected and naturally healing.
• Oral Hygiene: Maintaining the cleanliness of the surgical area is an indispensable part of the healing process. By following good oral hygiene practices such as softly brushing and rinsing, you may be able to bring about a faster recovery and so the time needed for the threads to be dissolved could be reduced too.

Can You Speed Up the Dissolution of Stitches?

Although direct reinforcement of the thread resolution process is not possible, there are certain measures that might accelerate the healing process, leading to indirect effects on the time taken for the threads to dissolve:

• Avoid Irritation: See to it that no irritation is sustained at the surgical site by refraining from the consumption of hard or crispy food that may do harm to the stitches.
• Follow Aftercare Instructions: Staying in pain, swishing saltwater, and doing the necessary care of the place where a tooth was removed accordingly to a dentist needs to be religiously adhered to for healing to go without any complications.
• Hydrate and Rest: Drinking plenty of water and resting will pave the way for your body to heal much faster.

What Happens If the Stitches Don’t Dissolve?

At times, wound closure threads, which are capable of being resorbed, may confront one with a situation of unexpectedly not dissolving that necessitates their removal by a dentist. The following signs may prompt the need for you to contact your dentist:

• In the course of many weeks, the stitches remain unchanged.
• You start to feel the discomfort or residual pain in the operated area.
• The surgical area has swollen up or turned red.  

Conclusion

Usually, in the healing of a wisdom tooth, the number of weeks needed to completely dissolve the sutures varies from 2 to 4. It may, however, take a shorter or longer time than the one mentioned if the wound is healing quickly or slowly, the sutures are unbroken, or the type of stitches used is different. Nevertheless, the majority of patients will not notice even a little problem and will be able to finish the whole process with ease. To ensure your recovery period is less demanding, it is recommended that you follow your aftercare advice, carry out regular oral hygiene activities that will heal you, and avoid touching the area.

FAQ: Wisdom Teeth Removal and Stitches