Minor oral surgery refers to a variety of relatively simple surgical procedures performed in an outpatient setting, often within a standard dental office, rather than in a hospital. This category typically includes routine tooth extractions—such as pulling a severely decayed or damaged tooth—as well as surgical extractions, which involve removing impacted wisdom teeth or teeth that are broken off at the gum line and require soft tissue or bone removal. Other common minor surgeries are apicoectomies (removing the tip of a tooth’s root), simple bone grafting for implant preparation, and the placement of dental implants. The key difference between a routine extraction and a surgical procedure is the complexity; routine extractions involve simply grasping and lifting the tooth, while surgical extractions require an incision and possibly the removal of bone or sectioning the tooth.

A tooth extraction is necessary when a tooth is so severely damaged that it cannot be saved or restored through any other means, such as a filling, crown, or root canal. The most common reasons for extraction include advanced periodontal disease that has destroyed the bone support around the tooth, extensive tooth decay that has compromised the tooth structure beyond repair, trauma or fracture where the break extends too far below the gum line, or orthodontic necessity to create space for remaining teeth to align properly. While dentists will always prioritize saving a natural tooth, extraction is sometimes the best option to prevent the spread of infection, eliminate chronic pain, or safeguard the health of the surrounding bone and gum tissue.

The procedure for a tooth extraction is performed under local anesthesia, ensuring that the area around the tooth and jaw is completely numb before the procedure begins, meaning you should not feel any sharp pain. The dentist will also ensure that any associated pain and anxiety are managed. For simple extractions, only local anesthetic is used. For more complex surgical extractions, such as wisdom tooth removal, the dentist or oral surgeon may also offer various levels of sedation, ranging from nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to intravenous (IV) sedation, to keep the patient deeply relaxed or asleep throughout the process. During the procedure, the patient will typically feel only a sensation of pressure or movement, not actual pain.

While extractions are routine procedures, they carry a few minor and manageable risks. The most common complication is a dry socket (alveolar osteitis), which occurs when the blood clot that forms in the empty tooth socket is dislodged or dissolves prematurely, exposing the bone and nerves and causing throbbing pain. Other risks include minor bleeding that persists longer than 24 hours, swelling, temporary numbness of the lip or tongue, or a slight risk of infection at the extraction site, which is usually prevented with good aftercare and sometimes antibiotics. All risks are thoroughly discussed beforehand, and complications are rare when post-operative instructions are followed diligently.

A dry socket is a painful condition that occurs after a tooth extraction, typically developing two to four days after the procedure, where the protective blood clot fails to form or is dislodged from the tooth socket. This leaves the underlying bone and nerve endings exposed to air, food, and fluids, resulting in intense, radiating pain that often cannot be managed with over-the-counter medication. Dry sockets are more common after the removal of lower wisdom teeth and among smokers. Treatment involves the dentist gently rinsing the socket to remove any debris and then placing a special medicated dressing or paste into the socket. This dressing soothes the nerve endings and helps protect the area until the pain subsides and healing can progress.

The healing and recovery period is divided into two phases: initial and complete healing. The initial healing phase lasts about three to five days, during which the major symptoms like swelling, minor pain, and bleeding should subside significantly, and the gum tissue begins to close over the socket. The most critical period is the first 24 hours, where preserving the blood clot is essential. Complete healing, which involves the full remodeling of the bone within the socket, takes much longer—several weeks to a few months. Patients should stick to soft foods for the first few days and gradually reintroduce normal foods as tolerated. The dentist will monitor bone healing if a tooth replacement like an implant is planned.

Immediately after a tooth extraction, your primary focus must be on encouraging the formation and maintenance of the blood clot in the socket, which is the foundation of healing. You should gently bite down on the gauze pad provided by your dentist for the first 30 to 45 minutes to control bleeding. For the first 24 hours, you must avoid spitting, rinsing forcefully, drinking through a straw, or smoking, as the suction and pressure can dislodge the blood clot and lead to a dry socket. You should also avoid strenuous activity and apply an ice pack to the outside of your cheek to minimize swelling and follow the specific instructions regarding pain medication and diet.

Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the last set of molars to erupt, typically appearing between the ages of 17 and 25. They are often surgically extracted because they frequently become impacted, meaning they do not have enough room to fully erupt into the jaw and get stuck under the gum line or against the adjacent tooth. This impaction can lead to several problems, including severe pain, infection, damage to neighboring teeth, the formation of cysts, and chronic crowding. Surgical extraction is necessary because the tooth is often still fully or partially encased in the jawbone and must be sectioned into smaller pieces for safe removal.

An apicoectomy is a minor surgical procedure performed by an endodontist (a root canal specialist) to save a tooth after standard root canal treatment has failed to completely eliminate the infection. While a root canal removes the infected nerve and pulp from the interior of the tooth, the apicoectomy is performed when the infection persists or recurs at the very tip of the tooth’s root (the apex). The procedure involves making a small incision in the gum to expose the root end, removing the infected root tip, and placing a small filling or seal in the end of the root canal to prevent future bacterial leakage. This specialized surgery allows the tooth to be saved and remain functional without needing extraction.

You should plan on restricting your diet and physical activity for the first few days following oral surgery or extraction. For the first 24 to 48 hours, you must consume only soft foods and liquids like yogurt, mashed potatoes, smooth soups, and pudding, chewing on the opposite side of your mouth. Gradually, you can advance your diet to semi-soft foods as comfort allows, but you should avoid hard, crunchy, and sharp foods for about a week. Regarding physical activity, you should avoid strenuous exercise, heavy lifting, and anything that significantly raises your blood pressure for at least 48 to 72 hours, as this can increase bleeding and potentially dislodge the blood clot, leading to a dry socket.