How long does numbness last after wisdom teeth removal?
Cited to 5 sources. Reviewed 2026-08-25.
Numbness from local anesthetic normally wears off within a few hours of wisdom teeth removal. Numbness still present the next day suggests the nerve near the lower tooth was bruised or stretched during surgery, which is called paresthesia. Most of these recover. Published studies of lower third molar surgery report nerve impairment in roughly 1 percent of extractions at one month, with permanent dysfunction at around 0.6 percent by 18 to 24 months. Report any numbness lasting beyond the first day to your surgeon.
- Local anesthetic wears off
- A few hours
- Numbness past 24-48 hours
- Call your surgeon
- Impairment at 1 month
- About 1-1.5% of lower extractions
- Permanent at 18-24 months
- Around 0.6%
- Most recoveries happen
- Within about 6 months
Which nerve, and why it happens
Two nerves sit close to lower wisdom teeth. The inferior alveolar nerve runs through the jawbone below the roots and supplies feeling to the lower lip and chin. The lingual nerve runs along the inside of the jaw and supplies the side of the tongue.
When a lower wisdom tooth is impacted and its roots sit against or around the nerve canal, removing it can bruise, stretch or compress the nerve even when everything is done correctly. That produces numbness, tingling or an altered sensation, which is what paresthesia means. It is a known risk of the procedure rather than a sign that something went wrong, which is why surgeons often take a scan first to see how close the roots are.
What the numbers actually look like
Studies of lower third molar surgery report inferior alveolar nerve impairment in around 1 to 1.5 percent of extractions at one month, and permanent dysfunction in roughly 0.6 percent at 18 to 24 months. Risk goes up with horizontally impacted teeth and with roots sitting in close radiographic proximity to the nerve canal.
Recovery is the usual outcome. Published follow up describes most impairments resolving within about six months, with some taking more than a year. One series tracking injured nerves found roughly 58 percent back to normal sensation by three months, around 66 percent by six months and around 71 percent by one year.
Those figures come from studies of lower wisdom teeth. Numbness after upper wisdom teeth is much less common and usually involves small local nerves rather than a major trunk.
What to do while it lasts
Tell your surgeon as soon as you notice numbness persisting past the first day. They will want to record which areas are affected and follow it, and early documentation matters if it turns out to be slow to recover.
In the meantime, protect the numb area. You cannot feel it, which is how people bite their lip or tongue without noticing and scald themselves on hot drinks.
- Chew carefully and slowly, and check your lip and tongue for accidental bites.
- Test the temperature of hot drinks and food with a part of your mouth that still has sensation.
- Be careful shaving over a numb chin or jaw.
- Keep a simple note of what you can and cannot feel, and whether it is changing week to week.
- Keep every follow up appointment, even if it feels the same as last time.
Call your dentist or oral surgeon if
- Numbness or tingling in the lip, chin or tongue still present more than 24 to 48 hours after surgery
- Numbness that is spreading or getting worse rather than slowly improving
- Burning, shooting or electric pain in the numb area
- Loss of taste on one side of the tongue
- Numbness combined with fever, pus or increasing swelling
- Difficulty swallowing or breathing: seek emergency care immediately
Related questions
Is it normal for my lip to still be numb the day after wisdom teeth removal?
Local anesthetic should have worn off well before then, so numbness the next day is worth reporting. It usually means the nerve was irritated, and most of these recover, but your surgeon should know and should document it.
Will the numbness be permanent?
Usually not. Studies of lower third molar surgery put permanent inferior alveolar nerve dysfunction at around 0.6 percent at 18 to 24 months, with most affected patients recovering within about six months.
Why is only part of my lip numb?
Nerve branches supply specific zones, so partial numbness of one side of the lip or chin is common. Map out what is affected and tell your surgeon, since the pattern helps them follow recovery.
Can numbness come back after it had gone?
That is unusual and worth reporting. Recovering nerves can produce tingling, itching or odd sensations as feeling returns, but numbness that genuinely returns after resolving should be assessed.
Sources
- Inferior alveolar nerve injury after mandibular third molar extraction: a literature review (PubMed (National Library of Medicine))
- Incidence and evolution of inferior alveolar nerve lesions following lower third molar extraction (PubMed (National Library of Medicine))
- Inferior alveolar nerve deficits and recovery following surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars (PubMed (National Library of Medicine))
- Wisdom Teeth Removal: Procedure & Recovery (Cleveland Clinic)
- Wisdom Teeth Management (American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons)
Reviewed against the sources above on 2026-08-25. General information only, not dental advice. Your own provider's aftercare instructions come first.
Keep reading
Most wisdom teeth recoveries follow the same shape: bleeding and numbness on day 1, swelling peaking around 48 hours, the worst pain on days 2 to 4, and clear improvement from day 4 onward. Cleveland Clinic reports most people resume normal activities within 3 to 5 days and are fully recovered in 1 to 2 weeks. The socket itself keeps filling in underneath for several more weeks, which is why the hole can still be visible at week 3 or 4 even when you feel fine.
Swelling after wisdom teeth removal usually peaks around 48 hours and then falls, with most of it gone by the end of the first week. Research on third molar surgery consistently finds that both swelling and jaw stiffness reach their maximum on the second day and subside by the end of week one, with mouth opening typically back to baseline near day 7. Bruising along the jaw can take a little longer to fade. Swelling that starts increasing again after day 3 is the pattern to worry about.
Day 3 soreness can be completely normal. Cleveland Clinic describes peak discomfort on days 3 to 4 after wisdom teeth removal, so aching that is roughly steady or just beginning to ease is expected. What is not normal is severe throbbing that is clearly worse than day 2, radiates toward your ear, eye or temple, and does not respond to the pain relief plan you were given. That pattern is the classic presentation of dry socket, which typically starts 1 to 3 days after extraction.
Small sharp fragments working their way out of the gum weeks after wisdom teeth removal are a recognised and usually harmless event. They are bone spicules, small pieces of the socket wall that the body pushes out rather than absorbing. A study of 1,432 lower third molar extractions found sharp mandibular bone irregularities in about 0.84 percent of cases, and noted that patients were often either symptom free or reported only a slight aching, which is why a conservative approach is usually taken. Do not pull at one yourself.