Wisdom teeth can be a confusing name for those teeth at the back corners of your mouth that don’t seem to do much of anything, except bring us pain and signal that it’s time to get them removed. 

Often times, if the wisdom teeth don’t have room to come in then they are impacted, which is why millions of people opt to get them removed. If not removed, then they cause painful problems that will interfere with your day-to-day life. Some of the problems impacted wisdom teeth cause are:

• Pain
• Food and debris get trapped behind them
• Infection 
• Gum Disease
• Tooth decay
• Damage to surrounding teeth
• Cysts around wisdom tooth
• Complications with orthodontic treatments 

According to Mayo Clinic, these teeth usually appear between the ages of 17 and 25, though some people might not ever develop wisdom teeth and others might have them come in normally causing no problems. If you happen to need your wisdom teeth removed, that’s something we can do right here in our office. We want to make sure you know what to expect during your procedure and the healing process. At our practice, we provide an environment of maximum safety for our wisdom teeth patients. Keep reading for an inside to the process! 

What’s the Removal Process?

Wisdom teeth extraction is a surgery where they will remove your wisdom teeth, the four permanent adult teeth in the back of your mouth. When you get to the dental office the day of your operation, you will be provided with anesthesia depending on how difficult the extraction looks like it will be. There are several types of anesthesia options which include: 

• Local anesthesia – this will be injections near the extraction site. This will typically happen after your dentist numbs your gums in that area. With local anesthesia, you’ll be awake during the surgery and will be able to feel movement, but not the pain. 
• Sedation anesthesia – this is given through an IV in your arm. This type of anesthesia suppresses consciousness so you won’t feel pain and will have limited memory of the procedure. In most cases you will receive this in addition to local anesthesia to make sure your gums are numb.
• General anesthesia – this is the least offered, and given through a medication you inhale nasally or by an IV in your arm. With this, you will lose consciousness and have no memory of the procedure. You will be closely monitored to make sure you stay stable during the procedure. You’ll experience no pain and won’t remember the surgery. 

The Steps of Removal

Per Mayo Clinic, first, the dentist or oral surgeon will make an incision in the gums to get access to the tooth. Then, they’ll remove bone that blocks their access to the tooth and will divide the tooth into sections. After the tooth is in pieces and easier to remove, they’ll begin to remove the tooth. Once the tooth/teeth are removed, the dentist will begin to clear the site of any debris and then begin to apply stitches to keep the wound closed. You’ll then be set up with gauze over the extraction site to help with bleeding and clotting. 

What Happens After?

After your procedure, you’ll be given a little time to recover before you’re taken home. Your dentist will give you instructions on how to care for your mouth during the upcoming healing process. This will include how to relieve the pain and control the bleeding, what you can and can’t eat and drink, and how to clean the wounds. 

Typically there is no follow up needed if you don’t need stitches removed and there were no complications during the procedure. However, if you begin to have problems that won’t go away that could be sign of infection and you should call your dentist immediately. 

When you are discharged, we will send you home with a postoperative kit to care for your mouth; consisting of care instructions; antibiotics; a prescription for any necessary pain medication; and, if necessary, a follow-up appointment. Most patients will fully recover within 3-4 days time. 

Contact Mountain Aire Dentistry

If your wisdom teeth begin to be painful or if you are having problems such as crooked teeth causing havoc in your mouth, make sure you come in for a dental evaluation. If you think you need your wisdom teeth removed, our team will listen to your concerns and talk to you about the best course of action. We’ll provide you with the highest quality dental care. Call us today – (303)-731-7755.