Eggen Dental - Cedar City Dentist - Family Dentistry
395 S 100 W, Cedar City, UT 84720#Wisdom Teeth Extraction: Everything You Need To Know
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are the last teeth to erupt in the mouth during the late teens to early twenties. While some people have room for their wisdom teeth and they emerge properly aligned, many people have impacted wisdom teeth that do not have room to come in or emerge at an angle or get stuck below the gums. Impacted wisdom teeth can potentially lead to infections, damage to nearby teeth and bone, cysts, and other dental problems, which is why dentists often recommend wisdom teeth extraction. If you’re dealing with impacted wisdom teeth causing issues, here’s what you need to know about wisdom tooth extraction.
##Why extract wisdom teeth?
There are several key reasons dentists recommend **wisdom teeth removal**:
- Impacted wisdom teeth: As mentioned above, impacted wisdom teeth become stuck and unable to properly emerge due to lack of space. Leaving impacted wisdom teeth in can raise the risk for infection, tooth decay, gum disease, cysts, and damage to nearby teeth and bone that can lead to further dental problems. Extracting impacted wisdom teeth prevents these potential issues.
- Recurring pericoronitis: Pericoronitis refers to inflammation of the gums around the wisdom teeth. It’s fairly common when wisdom teeth only partially emerge. Recurring bouts of pericoronitis can indicate it’s time to remove problematic wisdom teeth.
- Tooth crowding or misalignment: Wisdom teeth can sometimes emerge out of alignment and crowd or push against other teeth. Extracting wisdom teeth alleviates this crowding.
- Preparation for braces: If braces or other orthodontic treatments are planned, the orthodontist may want to extract wisdom teeth beforehand to create room for teeth to shift.
- Cysts or tumors: Cysts or tumors can occasionally form around impacted wisdom teeth and may necessitate extraction.
Overall, wisdom teeth extraction helps avoid many future problems that impacted or problematic wisdom teeth may cause if left in place.
The wisdom tooth extraction procedure
So what exactly does wisdom tooth extraction involve? Here’s an overview of the procedure:
- Numbing: The oral surgeon will first numb the area around the wisdom teeth with a local anesthetic injection to keep you comfortable during the procedure. You’ll also be given sedatives through an IV line if you’re having general anesthesia or conscious sedation.
- Incisions: After numbness sets in, the surgeon makes incisions near the wisdom teeth to expose them.
- Tooth removal: The wisdom teeth are separated from the bone and extracted. Sometimes tooth sectioning is required to break the tooth into pieces for easier removal.
- Stitching: The incisions are closed with stitches that will later dissolve on their own.
- Recovery: After wisdom tooth removal, gauze is placed over the extraction sites to limit bleeding and biting on the area is avoided while numbness wears off. Ice packs are used to manage swelling. Initial recovery takes about a week.
The procedure is usually done by an oral surgeon and can utilize local anesthesia, nitrous oxide/oxygen, intravenous sedation, or general anesthesia depending on factors like how impacted the teeth are, how many are being extracted, and patient preference.
##What to expect after wisdom tooth extraction
It’s normal to experience some side effects after having your wisdom teeth pulled:
- Pain: For the first few days, it's common to have some degree of pain and sensitivity at the extraction sites as you recover. Over-the-counter pain medication can help reduce discomfort.
- Swelling: Facial swelling around the cheeks is normal and tends to peak on days two and three before going down. Using ice packs helps minimize swelling.
- Bruising: Bruising around the cheeks can sometimes occur. It’s temporary and resolves within a week or two.
- Bleeding: Light oozing of blood from the extraction sites is expected for the first day or so. Applying pressure with gauze helps stop bleeding.
- Numbness: Lingering numbness at the extraction sites is normal initially after the procedure. Full sensation takes a few hours to return.
- Dry socket: In some cases, a dry socket can develop, which is when a blood clot fails to form in the extraction site. It causes increased pain a few days after surgery. See your dentist if you suspect dry socket.
##While wisdom tooth extraction recovery takes about a week, it can take a couple weeks for the sites to fully close up and heal. Avoiding certain foods and taking care of your mouth appropriately helps facilitate proper healing.
##Foods to eat after wisdom teeth removal
When recovering after wisdom tooth extraction, follow a soft diet while the extraction sites heal. Some good foods to eat include:
- Yogurt
- Applesauce
- Mashed potatoes
- Soup
- Pudding
- Ice cream
- Oatmeal or cream of wheat
##Avoid crispy, crunchy, spicy, or acidic foods that can irritate the sites. Once they’re fully healed in a couple weeks, you can resume your normal diet.
Proper oral care after wisdom tooth removal
It’s important to take care of your mouth properly after surgery to avoid dislodging blood clots and introducing food debris and bacteria into the extraction sites. Tips include:
- Brush gently around (not directly on) the surgery sites
- Rinse gently with salt water after eating
- Avoid using straws or spitting forcefully
- Avoid smoking
- Follow any other postoperative instructions from your surgeon
See your dentist promptly if you experience excessive bleeding, severe facial swelling, fever, or worsening pain.
Most people do very well recovering from wisdom tooth extraction and enjoy the benefits of fewer dental problems once problematic wisdom teeth are removed. Just be patient during the healing process and avoid irritating the surgery sites as they mend.
**Cedar City Dentist**
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