Wisdom Tooth Removal

The most common problems associated with impacted wisdom teeth are the following:

• they can cause extensive tooth decay by crowding teeth around them and trapping food particles
• gum infections can be caused when the tooth breaks through the gum line, allowing bacteria to seep in
• pain is usually experienced, as well as swelling and a stiff jaw
• crowding other teeth causes structural issues
• cysts can form, and these may cause damage to the supporting bone and other tooth roots.

When x-rays reveal that a tooth has become impacted, the best course of action is to surgically remove it, or the problems listed above may develop. It’s also possible that problems will develop in the future when x-rays show signs of overcrowding or other issues.

On the day of surgery, the patient will receive some kind of anesthesia and numbing so there is no pain or discomfort during surgery. If gum tissue is covering the tooth, this must be cut away, and if bone is covering the tooth, this must also be removed. Then the tooth itself will be loosened and extracted, possibly in sections if that will be easier. Following this step, it may be necessary to stitch up the area where removal has occurred.

Before the surgery actually takes place, you’ll need to follow your dentist’s recommendations for preparation. If you will be receiving an intravenous anesthetic for instance, you won’t be able to eat anything after midnight the night before. Make sure your dentist knows about all of your medications, because some of them may exacerbate bleeding. Bring all your paperwork and dental insurance card.

During surgery, you should have comfortable clothing on, and this will help you to relax. You should feel no pain or discomfort at all, other than some temporary pressure in the mouth at various times.

You will brought out of sedation after surgery, and the dentist will provide you with gauze to bite down on in the affected area, so as to stop the bleeding. You may feel some after-effects from the sedation, so you’ll be taken to a recovery room where you can be monitored. You can expect that the level of pain will gradually increase as the anesthetic wears off, so you may need to use medication to manage whatever pain or discomfort you feel.

If you’re already feeling some discomfort from the emergence of wisdom teeth, you should contact us right away at Ammons Dental by Design. We can examine your mouth thoroughly to determine whether or not the wisdom teeth should be surgically removed. If necessary, we can schedule an appointment to have the procedure done as soon as possible, so you won’t have to endure any undue discomfort. Once your wisdom teeth have been removed by our specialists, you’ll begin feeling much better and there will be no further issues with your wisdom teeth.