Health

Wisdom Tooth Removal: Everything You Need To Know

We have four permanent adult teeth located at the back corners of our mouth, both on top and bottom. Wisdom tooth removal or extraction refers to the surgical procedure of removing one or more wisdom teeth. Many times, a wisdom tooth does not have a proper place to grow, resulting in immense pain and discomfort for the individual. This can cause a lot of major dental problems, such as an infection. A dentist or an oral surgeon shall take care of the extraction for you. There are many future potential problems related to a wisdom tooth, which is why a few dentists recommend extraction even if there are no visible problems.

Why is it done?

These third molars, also known as wisdom teeth, are the last permanent teeth that erupt in the mouth. It is very common for them to appear when an individual is anywhere between 17-25 years old. Many do not develop these, and many do not have impacted wisdom teeth. Impacted wisdom teeth are the ones that do not have enough space to erupt in the mouth and so cause problems such as intense pain and infection. There are many issues faced by people with impacted wisdom teeth, such as gum disease, tooth decay if the tooth is only partially erupted, development of a cyst around it, or even damage to a nearby tooth.

Prevention of future issues

There is a strong debate among dentists about whether or not extracting asymptomatic wisdom teeth has any value. Certain dentists believe that certain symptom-free wisdom teeth have the potential to harbor disease. Others, such as the experts at Artisticsmilesmiamidentist.com, believe that procedure should only be used in extreme cases as a last resort since tooth extraction is permanent. Older adults also have a greater risk of experiencing difficulty with surgery.

Preparing for surgery

An extraction is usually performed in an outpatient setting. There are certain instructions that you need to follow before and after your surgery. It is important to ask questions such as:

  • When should I arrive?
  • Should I arrange for someone to pick me up after the procedure?
  • Do I need to avoid certain foods?
  • Are there any medications that I should avoid before and after my procedure?

What to expect

Your dentist will use any of these three kinds of anesthesia; local anesthesia, sedation anesthesia, or general anesthesia. The procedure will involve an incision being made in the gum tissue so that the bone is exposed, removing the bone that makes the root inaccessible, and finally removing the wisdom tooth.

Your dentist will clean the site to ensure there is no debris, stitch the wound, and place gauze over the site to stop the bleeding. You should expect some oozing of blood the first day after your surgery, quite a bit of swelling for the first two-three days, and pain that can be managed with over-the-counter pain medication.

Extraction of your wisdom tooth can be quite scary when you do not know what to expect. Keep all these things under consideration before you go for your surgery.

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