The wisdom tooth is the 3rd molar, which is the last permanent tooth to appear in our mouth. There are four wisdom teeth and those usually appear between the ages of 17 and 25 years. But this isn’t the case with all as some people never develop wisdom teeth.
However, in many cases, the mouth does not accommodate enough space for wisdom teeth to erupt properly. This causes certain complications, which leads to pain and tooth decay. In that case, you need to get your wisdom tooth removed through oral surgery.
Why remove your wisdom tooth?
- Your wisdom tooth may be impacted: Many people have impacted wisdom tooth because their mouth has no space for the growth of wisdom tooth. This may lead to improper development of the wisdom tooth. Impacted wisdom tooth are of the following kinds:
●Growing at an angle towards the second molar tooth.
●Growing at an angle towards the back of the mouth.
●Growing at a right angle below the other teeth.
An impacted wisdom tooth causes several problems, including:
●Pain in the jaws.
●Infection due to trapping of food and debris
●Tooth decay in partially erupted wisdom tooth
●Damage to the nearby tooth or surrounding bone
- Your mouth is not big enough for the proper development of wisdom teeth. This may lead to a partial eruption of wisdom teeth.
- You have cavities and gum disease
Gum disease like Pericoronitis may develop when wisdom teeth erupt only partially. This causes soft tissue to grow over a partially erupted wisdom tooth. This tissue growth is called an operculum, which traps the bacteria which further causes infection and swelling.
- To prevent future dental problems
Wisdom teeth are also removed to prevent future problems. Some dentists believe that wisdom tooth surely causes teeth related problem in the future.
Here are the points in favor of preventive wisdom tooth extraction:
●Symptom-free wisdom tooth could still harbor a disease in the future due to improper cleaning of the mouth.
●Senior citizens may experience difficulty during the extraction procedure and complications after surgery.
Risks involved in wisdom tooth extraction
Usually, wisdom tooth extraction does not lead to any complications after the surgery. But the removal of impacted wisdom teeth may involve an incision in the gum tissue and removing bone. The risks involved in this case are:
●Infection in wisdom tooth socket from bacteria or trapped food particles.
●Damage to nearby teeth, nerves, or jawbone.
●Painful dry socket or exposure of bone during the surgery.
Preparation before the surgery
Before going for surgery, make sure to discuss some points with the dental surgeon.
● Ask any question you have in your mind regarding the surgery.
●Tell them any health problems or drugs you take regularly.
The procedure of the surgery
The surgery can take about 30 to 45 minutes. Your oral surgeon can give you one of the three types of anesthesia:
●Local anesthesia: It numbs the area near the site of extraction. In this, you are awake during the surgery. You will feel some pressure but no pain.
●General anesthesia: This is given in certain specific situations. You will get the drugs through veins or breathe a gas through a mask. You won’t feel any pain and have no memory of the procedure.
●Sedation anesthesia: The dental surgeon will give you anesthesia in your arm as well as local anesthesia to the site of extraction. You will experience no pain.
The doctors may have to cut the gum or bone to get the teeth. They will also stitch the wound to shut it down and ensure a quick recovery.
Procedure after the surgery
If you have received local anesthesia only, you need to rest on the dental chair for some time. After that, you can go home. But if you receive sedation or general anesthesia, you are taken to a recovery room after the procedure.
Here are some dos and don’ts after the surgery:
Dos:
●Take drugs prescribed by your doctor to ease swelling or pain after the surgery.
●Rinse your mouth with salt solutions 2-3 times a day after the surgery. This helps in cleaning the wound. Do not spit the water out when you rinse. Instead, tip your mouth and let the water fall out.
●Drink plenty of fluids.
●Use an ice pack on your face to avoid swelling.
●Eat soft foods and avoid eating very hot foods for a few days.
●Brush your teeth starting the second day.
Don’ts:
●Do not eat hard or crunchy food that may scratch your wound.
●Do not drink through a straw. Sucking may loosen blood clots that help your mouth heal.
●Do not rinse your mouth too harshly.
●Avoid brushing your teeth the same day after the surgery.
●Do not smoke as smoking can slow your healing.
●Do not do heavy physical activities after the extraction. Take enough rest on the remainder of the day after the surgery.
When to call your dentist after the surgery
Usually, the wisdom tooth extraction has very fewer complications after the surgery, but if you see any of these problems call the doctor immediately:
●continuous fever
●difficulty in swallowing or breathing
●excessive bleeding from the wound
●persistent swelling even after three days of the surgery
●pus oozing out from the socket
●persistent numbness or loss of feeling
Recovery after wisdom tooth extraction
Most people recover from wisdom teeth surgery in three to four days, but it can take up to a week or more if the surgery was more complicated. You must follow the instructions of your doctor to avoid any complications or infection.Get your wisdom tooth extracted only by the experts! At SMILES ON 35th, we use advanced technology and tools to perform oral surgery. Our expert dentists will connect with you in-person, in case you’ve any questions regarding the procedure. Book an appointment today.
