Frequently Asked Oral Surgery Questions – Worcester, MA

What is a Dry Socket?

A dry socket is a condition that occurs when a blood clot is dislodged from the tooth extraction site. This can happen as a result of smoking, poor oral hygiene, or other physical activities such as sucking through a straw, aggressive brushing, or spitting. These can occur anywhere from 3-5 days after oral surgery and often cause extreme pain and bad breath. Fortunately, they are treatable but require that you see our team as soon as possible. We will need to rinse the area and use medicated dressing to minimize the pain.

Is It Normal to Bleed Hours After a Tooth Extraction?

Yes! This is why we have you bite down gently on clean gauze and replace it every hour. Over time, the bleeding will eventually cease, but it’s not unusual for there to be minimal, spotty bleeding a few days after your surgery. What this means is that the surgical site is healing; however, if you discover that your mouth is continuing to bleed heavily, call our office right away.

Will It Hurt to Have Dental Implants Placed?

No, you should not expect to experience any pain during your dental implant placement. We will administer local anesthesia to ensure that you remain pain-free and relaxed throughout your procedures, but you will likely feel some soreness and discomfort after the anesthesia wears off, it should not last more than a few days. You can take over-the-counter pain relievers to help alleviate the discomfort.

What Kinds of Food Can I Eat After Oral Surgery?

After undergoing any kind of oral surgery, you’ll need to stick to soft foods. The reason is that you do not want to apply additional pressure to these implant posts or extraction sites, especially while they are healing. Blood clots will need to form to ensure proper recovery, so while you avoid hard, dense, crunchy foods, also stay away from anything hot or spicy.

Will You Accept My Dental Insurance?

Yes, we are pleased to accept most major dental insurance plans as well as MassHealth. If you are unsure how to navigate your plan, a member of our team will be happy to assist in making sure that you get the most out of your benefits so that you can keep any out-of-pocket expenses low.

If I’m Uninsured, Are There Other Affordable Ways to Pay?

You have the option to apply for low-to-no-interest financing through CareCredit. With no surprise fees, you can easily enroll in one of their available plans and avoid paying the full amount upfront. Instead, you can spread out your payments over several months.