Wisdom Teeth Removal – Understanding this Very Common Procedure
You might wonder why we have wisdom teeth if they just have to be removed. Wisdom teeth are valuable third molars, if you have room for them. These are the last teeth to push through the gums in your mouth. They usually erupt between the ages of seventeen and twenty-one. If the jawline is already full, there can be some problems that occur. First, the wisdom teeth may not fully emerge from the gums, creating irritation of the gums and pockets for bacteria to gather and cause infection. Second, they may erupt at awkward angles, such as forward, backward, or out to the side. This can affect your bite and comfort, as well as damage nerves, teeth, and jawbone. Wisdom teeth removal of one, or all of the third molars is a very common procedure that sounds a lot worse than it actually is.
For instance, anesthesia is applied while you are having your wisdom teeth extracted. If just one tooth is being removed, the dentist may choose to simply administer a local anesthetic before removing the tooth. For all of the wisdom teeth, you will probably receive a general anesthetic that affects the whole body. With a general anesthetic, patients usually fall asleep or are very relaxed and slightly hazy during the wisdom teeth removal. Before you know it, the procedure is complete and you are headed home to recover.
What the procedure entails will be determined by the position and condition of the teeth. If they are trapped within the gums, the dentist will need to make a small incision in the gums to get the teeth out. Some teeth are removed whole and others are divided into pieces prior to removal. The goal is to minimize bone loss during wisdom teeth removal.
With this common oral surgery, the recovery time is usually only a few days. Stitches that dissolve are normally used. The dentist will also send you home with instructions during recovery time about changing the gauze, what you can and can’t eat, and preventing a condition called dry socket. It’s a great excuse to sit back and be pampered for a couple days
