Are you soon going to get your wisdom teeth removed? If so, you can expect your mouth to be sore for a few days after your procedure. Understandably, the last thing you may want as you are recovering is the inconvenience of returning to your oral surgeon to get stitches removed. The good news is that most wisdom teeth stitches are dissolvable! In this blog post, we explore some basics that you should know about your post-op stitches.
Wisdom Teeth Stitches Are Dissolvable
It is standard practice for oral surgeons to use dissolvable stitches (also called sutures) to close incisions after wisdom tooth removal.
There are a few different types of dissolvable sutures:
- Gut sutures, made from purified sheep or cow intestines, are usually gone within 7 – 10 days.
- Chromic gut sutures, which are gut sutures treated with chromium salt, usually last 10 – 14 days before they are completely dissolved.
- Vicryl sutures, which are constructed of a synthetic material, often last for 2 – 3 weeks.
Caring for Your Sutures
If you are healthy and carefully follow post-op instructions from your oral surgeon, you are likely to heal faster and find that your sutures dissolve more quickly than they would for unhealthy or incompliant patients.
Here are some steps you can take to support your body’s healing process:
- Stick to a thorough oral hygiene routine. You will need to be very gentle around your surgical sites.
- Eat a nutritious but soft diet. You may need to consume a liquid diet for the first 24 hours, and thereafter you should stick to soft foods until your mouth heals.
- Take precautions to avoid dry socket. Dry socket occurs when there is no blood clot at the site of a tooth extraction. It can slow down healing and interfere with the dissolution of your stitches. You can reduce your risk of dry socket by not smoking, not drinking through a straw, and adhering to post-op dietary guidelines.
- Stay hydrated. Sip on plenty of water so you can avoid dry mouth.
For most patients, their stitches dissolve on time and they enjoy a smooth recovery process. Talk to your oral surgeon to learn more about these aspects of wisdom tooth removal.
Meet the Practice
Drs. Steve Koo and William Shepard are the oral surgeons in our practice. They regularly perform wisdom tooth extractions for patients of varying ages and backgrounds. If you have questions about this procedure or what to expect afterward, get in touch with our Katy, TX, team at 832-353-1100.