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A wisdom teeth removal surgery, or extraction, may seem scary, but many people do not have enough room in their mouths for wisdom teeth to erupt properly, or have other issues with these teeth, and need to have them removed to prevent pain and avoid oral health issues.
Your third molars, or wisdom teeth, are the final teeth in your mouth to erupt. People will have two in the top jaw, and two in the bottom, although not everyone will have all four.
Wisdom teeth can be painful while they are erupting from the gums. If they are erupting normally, and there is enough room for them, they do not need to be removed, and the throbbing pain will subside once they are fully emerged. In most cases, however, there are issues, so wisdom teeth removal is necessary.
Most people don't have enough room for these extra teeth erupting, and do need wisdom teeth extraction. Wisdom teeth can become impacted, where they cannot emerge properly through the gums and come through at an improper angle.
This can lead to complications, such as causing nerve injury, damaging other teeth, causing misalignment of nearby teeth, and other issues. Your adjacent molars can be damaged, with increased wear and tear and cavities. Risks of bone loss, gum disease, cysts and tumours are increased with impacted wisdom teeth.
An impacted tooth grows sideways or stays trapped under gum or bone, leading to pain and infection that can even reach the jaw bone. How a tooth is impacted will affect how it is removed.
With soft tissue impaction, the top portion of your wisdom tooth has come through the bone in an awkward angle position, so gum tissue still covers the tooth and can trap bacteria and debris, leading to infection and tooth decay.
With a partial bony impaction, the wisdom tooth is partially stuck beneath both the gums and jaw bone. A complete bony impaction means the tooth is fully jammed underneath the bone, and requires complex tooth extraction techniques, as it is hard to access.
If necessary to prevent issues, wisdom teeth removal surgery may be done. Teeth are only extracted if leaving them will cause pain, swelling, increase risks of tooth decay, or damage to other teeth.
Your dentist may notice you have impacted wisdom teeth coming in during a checkup, or you may start to feel pain in the back corners of your mouth. Your dentist or oral surgeon will take x-rays so that a treatment plan can be developed.
Your surgeon will consult with you to explain the procedure and why it is necessary.
General anesthesia or local anesthesia will be used, depending on your situation.
The exact surgical procedure will vary depending on your individual circumstance. For a fully emerged tooth, your dentist may be able to perform a simple extraction by pulling the tooth out with forceps. The tooth can be removed as whole, or broken into pieces to make the wisdom teeth removal easier.
For impacted wisdom teeth, the procedure is more complex, and oral and maxillofacial surgeons are required. An incision will be made in your gums and bone that blocks the tooth root will be removed.
You may be given stitches to close the surgical wound.
After you have had your wisdom teeth removed, blood clots will form in the empty socket of the extraction sites.
To help a blood clot to form quickly, your oral surgeon will place a gauze pad over each extraction site for you to bite on and stop the bleeding. Some bleeding and swelling is normal after tooth removal, but should start to ease after a day or two. A cold compress or ice pack can help.
You may be given prescription pain medication, depending on your procedure, or you can take over-the-counter ones to relieve pain. The pain should start to ease after three days; if it does not improve, or you have increased pain, contact your oral surgeon.
Practice good oral hygiene and take any prescribed antibiotics to avoid infection. You won't be able to brush around the wound areas, but you can gently rinse with warm salt water.
At first, you will only be able to manage liquid foods, but you should be able to progress to a soft food diet after a few days. You will need to eat only soft foods for a few weeks to allow for the healing process. Never use a straw, as the suction can dislodge a blood clot.
Although rare, complications can arise until an extraction site has had a chance to completely heal. For any of these situations, consult your dentist.
An inability to control bleeding, or excessive bleeding can be a sign of a serious issue.
Dry socket occurs when a blood clot that forms in a tooth socket is dislodged. Symptoms include severe pain, swelling, and bad breath. The nerve in the jawbone can be injured, making you feel sensations of numbness or tingling.
Your dentist or oral surgeon will give you complete instructions to prevent these rare issues. Avoiding smoking, which can delay healing, and follow all recommendations from your dentist or oral surgeon to decrease the risks of complications.
Wonsch Dental offers wisdom teeth removal as an outpatient procedure; if you are in your teens, a checkup to identify an impacted wisdom tooth can prevent some painful issues.
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are the last set of molars that emerge at the back of the mouth. Typically, people have two wisdom teeth on the upper jaw and two on the lower jaw. Not everyone, however, develops all four wisdom teeth.
Wisdom teeth removal is often necessary due to limited space in the mouth, leading to various issues. If these teeth can't erupt properly or are impacted, removal becomes crucial to prevent pain and ensure good oral health.
Yes, most people require wisdom teeth extraction due to insufficient space for proper eruption. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause complications like nerve injuries, misalignment, and damage to neighboring teeth, increasing the risk of gum disease, cysts, and bone loss.
Impacted wisdom teeth are teeth that cannot emerge through the gums properly. They might grow sideways or remain trapped beneath the gum or bone, causing pain, infection, and potential damage.
Wisdom teeth can be soft tissue impacted, where they emerge at an awkward angle with gum tissue covering the tooth. Partial and complete bony impactions occur when teeth are trapped under both the gums and jaw bone, requiring specific extraction techniques.
Extraction is considered when leaving the wisdom teeth in place could lead to pain, swelling, tooth decay, or damage. The procedure varies based on tooth emergence. For fully emerged teeth, a simple extraction might suffice, while impacted teeth require more complex surgical procedures.
Your dentist will diagnose impacted wisdom teeth through exams and x-rays. A consultation with your oral surgeon will clarify the procedure's necessity and details.
Wisdom teeth removal involves either general or local anesthesia, depending on your needs. Surgical techniques vary for different cases, with fully emerged teeth being extracted differently from impacted ones.
After extraction, blood clots form in the empty sockets. Gauze pads help with bleeding, and swelling is normal but should subside within days. Pain management, oral hygiene, and soft food consumption aid the recovery process.
Wonsch Dental provides outpatient wisdom teeth removal. Identifying impacted wisdom teeth early can prevent future issues.
Wonsch Dental are caring professionals who will answer all of your questions. We offer a range of general and comprehensive dental services in Windsor, including oral surgery services and Wisdom Teeth Removal, so you can have all your care in one place that knows you. Visit us at 3090 Dougall Ave. Suite 306 Windsor, ON Canada N9E 1S4, or call us at 5192586812.
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