Wisdom Teeth Removal Wisdom teeth are molars that develop at the back of the dental arches. There are two at the end of both the upper and lower rows of teeth. Wisdom teeth typically emerge between the ages of 13 and 24. Wisdom teeth emerge after most or all of a patient’s adult teeth have developed, so there is often not enough space for the wisdom teeth to fit. This leads to wisdom teeth protruding, or only emerging partially, which can cause pain. Surf City Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery can help alleviate your wisdom tooth pain. It is important to have impacted or infected wisdom teeth removed to relieve you from discomfort and to prevent further oral complications. Do I Need my Wisdom Teeth Removed?Not everyone needs to have wisdom teeth removal, even if their wisdom teeth emerge at awkward angles. It is usually only needed if the wisdom teeth are causing severe pain or compromising a patient’s oral health. This can be due to how the wisdom teeth have emerged, which might expose them to harmful bacteria, plaque, and tartar. This leads to further complications, such as gum disease and tooth decay, which can spread throughout the mouth. In rare cases, a partially emerged wisdom tooth can form a cyst, or an abscess, which is a pus-filled infection in the tooth. Even when this occurs, it is still possible for us to provide alternative treatment, such as antibiotic mouthwash, that can relieve issues related to the wisdom teeth. Our professionals will only remove the tooth if absolutely necessary. There can be risks of not removing your wisdom teeth. When patients come to our oral surgery, discomforted from wisdom teeth pain, our team will perform an x-ray to assess the most non-invasive treatment plan. Find out how to know if you need your wisdom teeth removed. What Happens During the Procedure?The whole procedure is done under local anesthetic, which means no pain should be felt by the patient throughout the surgery. Sometimes, our team will administer general anesthetic, but this is only usually done for children. The time taken for this procedure is 20 to 60 minutes depending on how many impacted wisdom teeth there are and how difficult they are to remove. First, our oral surgeon will use an elevator, which is a small implement that gently rocks the tooth back and forth, to loosen its position with the socket. The patient may feel some pressure during this, as they feel the gum slightly widen. Then, our oral surgeon will gently pull the tooth with a pair of forceps to remove it. On occasion, a gum incision may need to take place to allow the tooth to become looser within its socket, and in some cases it may have to be removed in parts. This routine procedure rarely sees complications, and the ones that do emerge are usually mild. The aftercare is a very important part of the treatment, as the patient must rest properly in order to allow their oral cavity to heal properly. We will give instructions on post-procedure aftercare, and the patient should be able to return to their normal routine within 24-48 hours. Pain should completely subside within 2-3 weeks. You can read more about the recovery process here. Surf City Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery wants to help you alleviate your wisdom teeth pain. With our professionally-trained oral surgeons, our team can guarantee the most comfortable treatment possible. Call us now at 657-384-2787 to book your consultation appointment. |
