In part one of this series on wisdom teeth we discussed the question of the purpose of wisdom teeth. We concluded that there are two options for a healthy mouth in regards to wisdom teeth: keep them or remove them. In today’s post we are going to discuss the process of wisdom teeth removal.
All decisions regarding both keeping and removing your wisdom teeth should be taken up with your dentist or oral surgeon. Often times if a wisdom tooth doesn’t have enough space to grow it is called an impacted tooth and a dentist will recommend it be removed.
Basics of Wisdom Teeth Removal
- Sedation/ Numbing – Sedation and numbing are available for oral surgeries. Some dentists will use numbing methods where others might put the patient to sleep. When consulting with your dentist or oral surgeon, he or she will advise you on the method they prefer and offer. Click here for more information on types of sedation we offer.
- Surgical Procedure – Once the patient’s mouth has been numbed and x-rays have been taken and reviewed, the surgical procedure for wisdom teeth removal is ready to begin. The following is completed: removal of gum tissue in the local area and removal of the tooth. If the tooth is impacted, than the dentist/ oral surgeon will cut out the tooth using a small tool and will work with the situation in the mouth to determine if there is bone covering the tooth that needs to be removed. No matter the state of the patient’s mouth, there are tools made for the removal of wisdom teeth whether impacted or not that make the procedure safe and effective.
- Stitches – Once the teeth have been removed the surgeon may or may not use stitches for the area. This is dependent on the patient’s case and usually either when a patient had to have impacted wisdom teeth surgically removed or when it is clear that the mouth will heal better with stitches than without.
- Post-Operative – Upon discharge the dentist or oral surgeon will provide gauze for your mouth as well as post-operative procedures.
Some patients will experience swelling, where other patients will not. But in the end wisdom teeth removal will often benefit a patient’s dental health for years to come.
In our next post we’ll discuss how to care for your wisdom teeth if you choose to not have them removed.