Wisdom Tooth Removal Importance, Procedure And Treatment

The top and bottom back corners of your mouth house the four permanent adult teeth known as wisdom teeth. Surgery to remove one or more of these teeth is a wisdom tooth extraction.

If your wisdom teeth are impacted, painful, infected, or giving you other dental problems, you probably need to have them removed.

 A wisdom tooth can be extracted by a dentist or an oral surgeon.

Some dentists and oral surgeons suggest wisdom tooth extraction even if impacted teeth are not now posing problems in order to prevent potential problems in the future.

Why is it done?

The wisdom teeth often referred to as third molars, are the last permanent teeth to emerge into the mouth. These teeth normally emerge between the ages of 17 and 25. Some people never develop wisdom teeth. Others, like those who had their other molars naturally erupt, do not experience any problems when their wisdom teeth do.

Impacted wisdom teeth are those that do not have adequate room to erupt into the mouth or develop correctly. Wisdom teeth that are impacted may partially or totally fail to erupt.

A wisdom tooth that is impacted can:

• Approaching the following tooth, grow at an angle (second molar)
• Grow with the roof of your mouth at an angle.
• Grow at a right angle to the neighbouring teeth, seeming to "lie down" in the jawbone.
• Like other teeth, they can grow straight up or down, but they cannot come out of the jawbone.
• Impacting wisdom teeth issues

If your impacted wisdom teeth cause issues like these, you will probably need to have them extracted:

• Pain
• Food and debris becoming stuck behind the wisdom teeth
• Viruses or gum disease (periodontal disease)
• Damage to the tooth next to it or the surrounding bone from dental decay in a wisdom tooth that has partially erupted.
• Formation of a fluid-filled cyst (cyst) around the wisdom teeth
• Problems with the orthodontic procedures used to straighten other teeth
• Avoiding future dental issues

Dental professionals have differing opinions on the advantages of removing impacted wisdom teeth when they are not causing problems (asymptomatic).

Future problems with impacted wisdom teeth are tough to predict. However, the case for preemptive extraction is as follows:

• Wisdom teeth that are not causing any symptoms carry illness.
• It is sometimes challenging to reach the tooth and give it the required cleaning if there is not enough room for it to emerge.
• In younger individuals, severe wisdom tooth issues are less common.
• For senior individuals, surgery-related issues and challenges are also likely.

Risk Factors

The majority of wisdom teeth extractions do not cause long-term issues. To remove an impacted wisdom teeth, however, sometimes requires surgery that entails making an incision in the gum tissue and removing some bone. Rare problems may arise from:

• A painful dry socket or exposed bone develops when the postoperative blood clot is lost from the site of the surgical lesion (socket)
• Bacterial or food-particle-trapped infection in the socket
• Harm to the teeth, sinuses, nerves, or bones

Preparation

The operation could be carried out in the dental office. However, if your tooth is highly affected or if the extraction necessitates a challenging surgical operation, your dentist could consider consulting an oral surgeon. Your surgeon may advise sedation in addition to local anesthesia to numb the region and make you more comfortable throughout the treatment.

Issues to raise

• The following queries can be directed to your dentist or oral surgeon:
• How many wisdom teeth need to be removed?
• What sort of anesthesia will I receive?
• How challenging do you think the procedure will be?
• How long is the procedure likely to take?
• Have the impacted wisdom teeth caused any harm to the other teeth?
• Do you think I might get nervous?
• What potential future dental operations may I need?
• How long does it take to recuperate completely and get back to your normal routine?

Getting ready for surgery

Almost always, wisdom teeth extractions are done as outpatient procedures. You will thus return home that day.

The personnel at the hospital or dentist's office will give you information on what to do the day before and after your planned procedure. Query these things:

• Do I need to arrange for transportation home after the procedure?
• When should I arrive at the hospital or the dentist's office?
• Do I have to fast and give up food, drink, or both? If so, when should I begin?
• What potential future dental operations may I need?
• How long does it take to recuperate completely and get back to your normal routine?

During Procedure

Your dentist or oral surgeon may use one of three types of anesthesia, depending on how relaxed you are and how challenging the removal of your wisdom teeth is anticipated to be. Options consist of:

A local anesthetic. Your dentist or oral surgeon will provide one or more local anesthetic injections to each extraction site. Before giving you an injection, your dentist or surgeon will typically use medication to numb your gums. You are awake during the tooth extraction. Even though there may be some pressure and movement, you will not experience any discomfort.

Anesthesia and sedation. The oral surgeon or dentist will give you tranquil anesthesia through an intravenous (IV) line in your arm. Sedation anesthesia dulls your consciousness during the procedure.

You do not experience any discomfort and your memories of that process. Additionally, you will need a local anesthetic to make your gums numb.

General sedation. You could be given general anesthesia in certain circumstances. You could either breathe in medication through your nose or have an IV line in your arm. This causes you to lose consciousness. Your surgical team is constantly keeping an eye on your blood pressure, breathing, temperature, intake of fluids, and blood pressure. You will not feel any discomfort and will not remember the process. In addition, a topical anesthetic is used to reduce discomfort after surgery.

Your oral surgeon or dentist will conduct the following while removing your wisdom teeth:

• By making an incision in the gingival tissue, the tooth and bone may be seen.
• A bone that prevents access to the dental root is removed
• If it is simpler to remove the tooth in portions, divide it.
• Takes out the tooth
• Removes any tooth or bone fragments at the location of the extracted tooth
• Even though it is not always necessary, stitching up a wound helps it recover faster.
• In order to reduce bleeding and encourage the creation of a blood clot, apply gauze to the extraction site.

After Procedure

If you had general or sedation anesthesia, you are sent to a recovery room after the treatment. A local anesthetic will likely need you to spend the brief recovery period in the dentist's chair.

As you recuperate from your treatment, heed the dentist's advice.

Bleeding. On the first day after wisdom teeth removal, blood may seep. To prevent removing the blood clot from the socket, avoid spitting excessively. The gauze covering the extraction site should be replaced as directed by your dentist or oral surgeon.

Treatment of pain. An over-the-counter pain treatment like acetaminophen (Tylenol, among others) or a prescription painkiller from your dentist or oral surgeon may help you manage discomfort. prescription painkillers might be especially beneficial if, during the surgery, bone was removed. Applying a cold compress to your jaw may help reduce discomfort.

Bruising and swelling. Use an ice pack as directed by your dentist or surgeon. Usually, the swelling in your cheeks subsides within two to three days. It can take a few extra days for bruises to heal.

Activity. After your procedure, schedule time to recover for the remainder of the day. The following day, return to your regular routine but refrain from any vigorous exercise for at least a week to prevent losing the blood clot from the socket.

Beverages. Water is important to drink after surgery. Avoid drinking any alcoholic, caffeinated, carbonated, or hot beverages for the first 24 hours. Avoid using a straw when drinking for at least a week to avoid sucking. The blood clot in the socket can be moved with motion.

Food. For the first 24 hours, stick to soft meals such as yogurt or apple sauce. Start eating semi-soft foods as soon as you are able to manage them. Avoid things that can stick in the socket or aggravate the wound by avoiding hard, chewy, hot, or spicy foods.

Your mouth is being cleaned. Avoid using mouthwash, spitting, brushing your teeth, or washing your mouth for the first 24 hours after surgery. Usually, after the first 24 hours, you will be instructed to start brushing your teeth again. Be extra cautious while scrubbing the area close to the surgical site, and for a week, gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water every two hours and after meals.

Using tobacco. Do not smoke for at least 72 hours and if feasible, wait even longer. If you do, refrain from doing so for at least a week. After oral surgery, using tobacco products might hinder recovery and raise the possibility of problems.

Stitches. You might not receive any sutures at all or have stitches that dissolve quickly. Make an appointment to have your sutures removed if they need to be taken out.

Results

If you suffer any of the following warning signs or symptoms, which might point to an infection, nerve damage, or other severe problem, call your dentist or oral surgeon right away:

• Breathing or swallowing challenges
• A lot of blood
• Fever
• Severe pain that is not relieved by taking prescription medicines
• Swelling that becomes worse two or three days later
• A foul taste in your tongue that salt water rinsing cannot cure
• The socket has pus in it or is oozing pus
• Enduring numbness or a lack of sensation
• Nasal discharge with blood or pus

The following should apply to you after having your wisdom teeth removed:

• No sutures need to be taken out.
• There were no issues with the operation.
• You do not have ongoing issues like pain, swelling, numbness, or bleeding, which might be symptoms of an infection, damage to the nerves, or other conditions.

Additional issues

If problems arise, speak with your dentist or oral surgeon to go through your treatment options.

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