Had an apicoectomy about a week ago and honestly, I’m still a bit sore and puffy. Dentist said it’s normal, but I kinda expected to bounce back faster. Anyone else take longer than they thought? When did you feel like you could chew on that side again?
I totally get where you’re coming from—one week out and still feeling sore is frustrating. But honestly, I don’t think it’s anything to worry about just yet. After my apicoectomy, the swelling hung around for almost two weeks. Chewing on that side felt weird for a while, and I waited until the tenderness really faded before I tried anything crunchy. The dentist might say it’s “normal,” but I’ve noticed everyone heals at their own pace. My friend bounced back in a few days, but for me, it was closer to three weeks before things felt right. Sometimes these procedures just take longer than we expect, especially if you’re prone to swelling or bruising.
The dentist might say it’s “normal,” but I’ve noticed everyone heals at their own pace.
That’s definitely true—healing isn’t one-size-fits-all. But if you’re still having significant pain or swelling after a week, I’d actually recommend checking in with your dentist just to be safe. Sometimes lingering discomfort can mean there’s a little infection brewing or the stitches aren’t dissolving quite right. Most folks do feel “off” for a while, but sharp pain or anything getting worse instead of better isn’t something to just ride out.
I’ve seen plenty of people bounce back in a few days, but others take longer, especially if they had a rough extraction or more extensive work. Still, if things aren’t slowly improving, it’s worth making sure nothing else is going on. Better to catch a small issue early than wait and have it get worse...
if you’re still having significant pain or swelling after a week, I’d actually recommend checking in with your dentist just to be safe.
Yeah, I second that. I had root tip surgery a couple months ago and honestly, I thought I’d be back to normal after a few days, but it took me almost two weeks before things really settled down. The first week was the worst, but I noticed a steady improvement after that. Still, if it feels like you’re not getting better or something just seems off, it’s worth calling the dentist. Peace of mind is huge when you’re dealing with mouth pain.
Yeah, I hear you—my face looked like I lost a fight with a squirrel for almost two weeks. I was paranoid something was wrong, but the swelling did go down, just way slower than I hoped. Chewing on that side felt weird for a while, too. Guess our mouths are just drama queens about healing. Glad to know it’s not just me dragging my feet on recovery. Hang in there, it does get less annoying.