How Long Does Simple Extraction Take to Heal?
How does the socket heal after tooth extraction? Which symptoms following extraction are a normal response, and which should cause concern? If you need a tooth extracted, please read below to find out more about the healing process for an extracted tooth.
The healing process begins immediately after tooth extraction and ends with the cavity being filled with new bone tissue, covered by new soft tissue (gum). The entire process can be divided into three stages:
- self-sealing of blood vessels,
- wound cleansing,
- reconstruction of damaged tissue.
Processes occurring in the wound after tooth extraction
Stage 1. Immediately after a tooth is extracted, the tooth socket fills with blood, which within 5-15 minutes turns into a clot, acting as a "biological dressing." The clot protects the wound from excessive dehydration and microbial invasion.
A vascular injury causes immediate tissue contraction and vasoconstriction. The clotting process is initiated within the vessels: platelets (thrombocytes) form a plug, sealing the vessel lumen and blocking blood flow. Activation of subsequent enzymes responsible for blood clotting leads to the polymerization of fibrinogen, a blood plasma protein, which is converted into fibrin (fibrin), which helps form a jelly-like clot that seals the wound edges. In a healthy patient, fibrin fibers are formed within 15 to a maximum of 45 minutes after tooth extraction.
Stage 2. Another important reaction to tissue disruption is inflammation. Inflammatory immune cells, such as granulocytes and lymphocytes, accumulate within the wound. Inflammation dilates local vessels, which facilitates the entry of large immune cells, such as macrophages and fibroblasts (connective tissue repair cells). These immune cells cleanse the wound of tissue debris, vascular clots, and pathogenic bacteria. This process begins as early as 12 hours after extraction.
Stage 3. In the next phase (the so-called proliferative phase), skin producer cells—fibroblasts—are activated. These cells produce collagen fibers, a product essential for the construction and regeneration of connective tissue and the reconstruction of damaged blood vessels. The production cell regeneration phase lasts from 4 to 40 days, depending on the size of the wound.
How long does it take for a “hole” in the bone to heal?
The healing process and its final outcome depend on the patient's general condition, the difficulty of the procedure, and the tooth that was extracted. The wound should heal or show signs of healing within two weeks of tooth extraction. The exception is areas following complex wisdom tooth extractions, which may take up to two months to heal.
Complications delaying the healing process
Socket healing usually proceeds without complications or major discomfort. However, complications can occasionally occur that delay or hinder the process. These disturbances can affect any phase of healing and manifest in various ways. The most common include:
- accumulation of serous secretions or lymph in the wound space,
- hematoma,
- soft tissue necrosis,
- rupture (dehiscence) of the wound,
- infections leading to inflammation (e.g. alveolar osteitis)
Each of the complications mentioned above is quite rare and requires additional therapeutic procedures, and must be treated individually.
In Conclusion
In the case of a simple extraction, the gum closes the "hole in the bone" approximately two weeks after the procedure (however, in the case of wisdom teeth, this process takes one or two months). However, the reconstruction of the bone tissue covered by the gum can take up to six months. Following your dentist’s aftercare instructions is very important and affects your healing time, so please heed what they say! If you have more questions, please contact us today!