does it ever feel normal again?

[DravenDatura]

for those who have had a lower back molar extracted, how long did it take you to get comfortable eating on that side confidently? I had my first molar (#30) extracted 12 days ago and obviously the hole is still healing and waiting for the stitch to fall out, but wouldn’t call it painful or hurting in anyway…more just like a poke at the gums or tender when eating. when it fully heals and the hole covers up, does it start to feel normal again? i have my wisdom teeth gone so it’s my very back molar, the extraction space, premolar, and then so on…just to paint the picture lol.

 

[Stewart]

ive had both the two lower back molars removed next to the wisdom teeth and id say i was eating normally within maybe a few days?

i didnt eat things like crisps or super hard things.

It wasnt the eating and drinking I found a problem, more looking after the gap and taking a few days off sports.

 

[ScaredyCat22]

@DravenDatura I'm a little confused on which tooth is gone? I understand your wisdom teeth are gone but in front of the wisdom tooth would be your second molar tooth 31 and then the first molar tooth 30 not a premolar. Do you still have your tooth 31? Or are you saying you have no molars on that side? I have no molars on the bottom on one side and on the other side I am missing tooth 31. It never feels like it felt when you had teeth there but you do learn how to use your remaining teeth to chew and it feels like your new normal. your gums toughen up and there will be no pain unless you crunch down on something sharp and pointy like Doritos that stab your gums. It took me a long time to get used to it even after it healed. probably 6 months.

 

[Stewart]

@ScaredyCat22 to be honest, i dont know what the numbers of the teeth are but by your description ive lost both second molars and for me personally, no difference.

Took possibly 3-4 days to be back to normal eating wise, the scab felt weird but all alright really

 

[DravenDatura]

@ScaredyCat22 i blacked out my wisdom teeth that are out and the molar i had extracted. my apologies for trying to explain the best i could…i realize it’s difficult to explain without photos

 

[ScaredyCat22]

@Stewart do you have your wisdom teeth? if not your second molars are your teeth farthest in the back and it usually presents no problem to lose them because there is no tooth behind them to tip forward. I am missing the second molar on one side and it was never any problem until a dentist talked me into a partial denture. It's easier to eat without the partial. On the other side I am missing both molars and that has been a little trickier to get used to.

 

[ScaredyCat22]

@DravenDatura ah I see! Yes you will feel fine chewing there at some point, but because of the gap where your first molar was, you may sometimes get food wedged in the space between your molar and premolar. But it won't hurt, it will just be an occasional annoyance. That was my situation on the bottom too, and I felt that it was taking me longer than normal to get used to it, so I had a bridge done. The bridge turned out to be a nightmare that caused damage to my premolar and my second molar where it was attached. It caused me to lose my second molar. I wish I had just left well enough alone when I only had 1 missing molar. You will be fine soon as your gums toughen up a little.

 

[DravenDatura]

@ScaredyCat22 i appreciate your response and a little bit more reassurance! guess i gotta remember it hasn’t even been a full 2 weeks yet and still needs to full heal/get tissue. sorry to hear about your bridge as well. due to no insurance i have no choice but to just leave it as is. all the best to you!

 

[Stewart]

@ScaredyCat22 hi Scaredy, i have all wisdom teeth but the molars next to them are both gone on the bottom.

Reason the molars are gone is because i didnt go to the dentist but the wisdom teeth came in and impacted the molars causing cavities in both that couldnt be filled.

With hindsight i should have gotten the wisdom teeth removed younger, but a combination of anxiety, not going to the dentist, and never being in any pain led me to that point when i eventually got the news i needed two extracts when i finally did go to the dentist

 

[biffo1963]

@DravenDatura Give it a month and you'll probably forget you ever had a tooth there. You'll certainly be eating normally.

 

[ScaredyCat22]

@DravenDatura Yes it is early days for you yet. My husband has the same tooth missing with the same gap, and he chews on both sides without any issues. The only thing that is ever a mild annoyance to him is food getting occasionally wedged in the gap, so if we eat out anywhere he will want to stop at home to brush his teeth before we go anywhere else. But it doesn't happen all the time. I regret getting a bridge , I was talked into it by a dentist who told me it was the only way I would be able to chew on that side. I believed him because it was taking a long time for me to feel normal. I wish I had just kept the gap. Now I have both molars missing on that side and it took time but I do chew there. I never even used to be afraid of the dentist until the whole ordeal I went through in trying to save that tooth and then to replace it after extraction. I have PTSD from what was done to me.

 

[ScaredyCat22]

@Stewart It's like damned if you do and damned if you don't. I had all my wisdom teeth out even though only 2 were impacted in my jaw. The other 2 were coming in normally but the oral surgeon said they would cause problems later. I do have a small mouth so my teeth were crowded but if I had kept my 2 wisdoms that fit it would be nice to have 1 now on the side where I have no molars. I have made peace with the possibility that I may lose my top molars someday too because I would rather be toothless and just have an extraction than to ever have them worked on again.