Wisdom Teeth

Your wisdom teeth are also known as your third set of molars that come in during your late teens or early 20s. Many people’s wisdom teeth come in with no problems. However, that’s not the case for everyone. For them, wisdom teeth removal is necessary to prevent complications.

Due to their late arrival many years after your permanent teeth come in, your wisdom teeth can easily crowd your other teeth, causing them to shift and even damage your surrounding teeth. They can also emerge at an awkward angle, or they might be impacted, meaning they stay trapped under your gums without ever emerging.

These scenarios can leave you with a variety of oral health issues and symptoms, including:

• Infection
• Pain
• Gum disease
• Decay
• Complications with orthodontic devices
• Food trapped in the area

If you suffer from any of these problems, your provider may recommend wisdom teeth extraction surgery.

Your provider first uses anesthesia to put you to sleep during the surgery so that you don’t feel any pain. They then make an incision in your gum tissue to access the wisdom teeth that need removal. 

They use a special dental tool to remove bone that may block a tooth’s root. In some cases, they might need to divide your wisdom teeth into sections for easier removal.

Once they extract your wisdom teeth, they clean the area, removing debris and leftover bone. The final step involves stitching the wound sites and putting gauze over them to control bleeding.

First, because of your sedation, make sure you have someone to drive you home for safety reasons. 

Before you leave the practice, your provider gives you instructions to follow for aftercare, a prescription for pain medication, and a prescription for antibiotics to prevent infection. They also monitor your wisdom teeth removal recovery every step of the way to ensure a successful outcome.

During the first few days of your recovery, your provider recommends that you only eat soft foods like soup, yogurt, mashed potatoes, and ice cream. Your teeth might feel quite sensitive, so introduce food back into your diet slowly.

If you have consistent pain or abnormal bleeding at an incision site, call the office right away to avoid complications.

To schedule an exam to find out if you need wisdom teeth removal, call the nearest office or book your appointment online today.