Common Questions About Having Wisdom Teeth Extracted

Posted on: 6 August 2019

Having wisdom teeth removed can seem very scary, even if you just need a single tooth extracted. Thankfully, having the tooth extraction procedure performed early can help make the extraction process go smoothly for you as a patient. By having more knowledge of the procedure, you'll feel more at ease about what you'll go through to remove those problematic wisdom teeth.

Why Is It Necessary To Extract Your Wisdom Teeth?

Your third molars are commonly referred to as wisdom teeth. Most people do not have enough room for their wisdom teeth to erupt through the gums and not cause oral health problems. Your dentist can take x-rays of your mouth before there are any visible signs of wisdom teeth coming in. It is possible that you may not have a full set of wisdom teeth, or maybe only some of those teeth need to be removed due to not having enough room. It is also possible for a wisdom tooth to be growing sideways, and they will eventually impact against your fully grown adult teeth and cause damage.

How Are Your Wisdom Teeth Extracted?

The wisdom tooth extraction process will require anesthesia and dental sedation. You won't feel a thing while the procedure is being performed, and will likely not remember a thing based on what kind of anesthesia is used. Incisions are made along your gums to reach the tooth that is underneath your gums. Special extraction tools will be used to help remove the wisdom tooth from the gum tissue it's connected to. Patients that are awake for the procedure will feel pressure while this is being done, but you should not feel any pain.

How Is Recovery From Wisdom Tooth Extraction?

Expect to take a few days of rest to recover from having your wisdom teeth extracted. You'll want to schedule some sick days, take days off from school, or plan the surgery around a break. It is common to be prescribed pain killers for the first few days after the procedure, but you can also use over-the-counter drugs to deal with pain after the prescription runs out. Keep ice on your jaw to help deal with inflammation, and stick to a diet of soft foods that do not require chewing. Avoid using straws or putting pressure on your mouth, since it can cause blood clots to become dislodged

Contact a dental clinic like Carpenter Dental for more information about your upcoming wisdom tooth extraction procedure.

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