What to Expect During Wisdom Tooth Extraction?

Wisdom tooth extraction is usually a surgical procedure where the dentist removes one or more of the four permanent adult teeth at the back corners of the mouth, both at the top and bottom. The teeth usually erupt between the ages of 17 and 21 for most people. The extraction done to either eliminate a problem or prevent one. Before the teeth can be removed, you will have a consultation with our dentist in Ajax at Dr. Patel Dentistry where the need for the procedure will be thoroughly evaluated.

What Are Wisdom Teeth?

These are the third and last set of molars you will get in your lifetime. They can be a nice addition to have in the mouth if they properly erupt and grow to be healthy and well aligned. However, in most cases they come out misaligned and this necessitates their removal. Since they are the last set of teeth to erupt, they often lack enough room to grow properly. Poor alignment then causes problems such as crowding or even damage to the adjacent teeth, jawbone or nerves.

If you are curious to know if your wisdom teeth have already set in, you can ask your dentist during your routine dental visits. An x-ray will be taken to check for the presence of the wisdom teeth as well as their alignment. Based on the results and the state of your dental health, the dentist will make a decision to either put you through wisdom tooth removal or let them be.

Why Are They Removed?

As earlier mentioned, wisdom teeth may not always grow properly which makes it necessary to have them removed. Your dentist may recommend wisdom teeth surgery even when you are not experiencing any problems. This is often considered a preventive measure and is done because lack of discomfort or pain doesn’t mean that all is necessarily well. The teeth might be stuck under the jaw, which means you will undergo impacted wisdom teeth removal as they were not able to break through the gums.

If an impacted wisdom tooth is not removed, you may experience pain and tenderness in the affected area. There is also the risk of having food particles trapped behind the wisdom tooth, which puts you at risk of tooth decay and infections.

Misalignment is also a major reason for extracting wisdom teeth. As they grow in, they can put pressure on the rest of the teeth, causing them to shift or causing pain and bite problems. Jaw damage can also occur where cysts begin to form around the new teeth, creating room for infections to attack and damage nerves.

What to Expect

The approach used to extract a wisdom tooth depends on a number of factors. If the tooth is yet to erupt through the gums, a small incision is made on the gum to gain access to it. Part of the bone covering the tooth may be removed during the procedure as well. The tooth may also be broken down to smaller pieces to make removal easy. After the doctor confirms the entire tooth has been taken out, dissolving stiches will be used to seal the gum. The stitches may take between 7 to 10 days to dissolve.

However, if the tooth can be seen over the gum, there is less need for an incision. Using some special tools, the dentist will rock the tooth back and forth to loosen it from its socket and then pull it out. A piece of clean gauze is the place on the empty socket and you will need to apply slight pressure for about an hour to control the bleeding. Both approaches are performed under sedation and therefore you will not feel any pain as the dentist is working on you.

The length of time it takes to complete wisdom tooth extraction will depend on whether it was a simple procedure or a surgical procedure. A simple procedure is completed in about half an hour while a surgical extraction will take longer depending on the degree of difficulty.

To ensure quick recovery and avoid post-treatment complications, in the first 24 hours after removing your wisdom teeth, you should avoid smoking, alcohol, hot liquids or engaging in any high impact activities. Make sure to follow direction given by your dentist and in case of anything check in with the dentist as soon as possible.