All You Need To Know About Wisdom Teeth Removal

They say, with age comes wisdom and so do wisdom teeth. These are the third set of molars of the human dentition. Wisdom teeth generally come out between the ages of 14-25. They come out a bit later or in a more mature age, this is what gets them their name. You should consider yourself lucky if you go through the eruption of your wisdom teeth without any wisdom teeth removal procedure. They are notorious for making people go through levels of discomfort and seeking a consultation from a dentist, like Dr Alamo.

Why You May Need to Remove Wisdom Teeth?

There are several reasons why you may need to get one or more of your wisdom tooth removed.

1. Wisdom teeth can affect the alignment of other teeth or jaw bones if they do not develop properly and become impacted. For example, your tooth may grow sideways. They push the other teeth around causing pain and problems with biting and chewing.
2. Wisdom tooth can cause sinus issues. This can lead to severe pain and congestion.
3. Wisdom teeth eruption may take a while and gums may become swollen. Swollen gums can create pockets between gums which helps bacteria flourish and it leads to cavities.

Getting Your Wisdom Teeth Removed

The process of wisdom tooth removal starts with visiting the dentist and getting an oral examination done. The dentist will want to take an X-Ray of your teeth giving them an idea of the placement and location of your wisdom teeth and the availability of space they need to grow. The dentist will then make an assessment and suggest a procedure depending on location of your wisdom teeth. The dentist may choose to carry out the procedure themselves if they are used to such surgeries or suggest an oral surgeon for you if they feel the surgery is too complicated.

Surgery Day

You will be instructed by the office to stop eating or drinking anything for a certain amount of time before the surgery. When the procedure starts you may be given oral conscious sedation or intravenous anesthesia depending on how complicated the extraction, and local anesthesia to numb the teeth.

The surgery itself involves making an incision in the gum tissue which exposes the tooth to be extracted. The surgeon then removes the tooth in whole or breaks it down into smaller pieces to extract. After removing any debris, the surgeon cleans and stitches up the gum if necessary. In the end the surgeon puts a gauze over the surgery site to aid the formation of a blood clot that speeds up the healing process.

After the Surgery

The wisdom tooth extraction is an outpatient procedure. This means that unlike other surgeries where you may need to stay at the hospital for a while, you will be sent home the same day as the surgery. However, if you have had oral conscious sedation or intravenous anesthesia you will be taken to a recovery room briefly and then sent home with your family or friend driver after you gain your consciousness.

The healing process and the pain that you will endure post-surgery depends on the level of complication of your tooth extraction. Generally, your pain is controlled with NSAIDs for one week. In any case it is of vital importance to follow your doctor’s instructions.

Here are a few things to consider

1. After the removal of your wisdom tooth you will have to deal with some bleeding in your mouth for a day at least. Although this may cause discomfort you must fight the urge to spit excessively. If you spit too frequently you may end up dislodging the blood clot. This will expose the bare bone and nerves in the socket leading to a dry socket. The dry socket is an extremely painful condition and you must take necessary precautions to avoid it.
2. Drinking through a straw or a vigorous oral cleaning regime may cause the clot to dislodge too. Try to avoid using a straw to drink for a few weeks and ask your dentist for what oral hygiene process to follow until your socket is healed.
3. After the surgery try taking things slow and do not engage yourself in physical activities that may cause the dislodgement of the blood clot. You will also be dealing with pain, so it is better to rest and let the pain wear off.
4. You can use an ice pack as directed by your surgeon to soothe the pain. However, avoid using it too excessively to avoid getting a frost bite. And do not put it in direct impact with your skin as it may worsen the bruises that you may have.
5. Avoid eating hard or chewy foods that can get stuck in your socket or irritate your wound. Try eating soft foods for example yogurt or oatmeal on the first day.

What to Do to Make the Process Easier on Yourself?

It is always a good idea to plan. Here is what you can do.

1. To avoid facing further complications make sure you consult an expert. You can visit various websites that can provide your reviews on dental clinics and their services. Make sure you do not compromise on getting the best dental help.
2. It is highly advised that you get your wisdom tooth extraction done at an early age. As you grow older the roots of your teeth become stronger and it is then harder to remove the tooth and the whole process becomes more painful. The healing process will be faster at a young age too.

At NEO Dentistry (SmileKyle), we’ll schedule a follow up visit with you one week after your wisdom tooth has been removed. If complications occur like high fever or excessive bleeding we are available at any time. Schedule an appointment here.