An essential component of our mouths are our teeth. Our teeth are accountable for word pronunciation, facial shape, and food cutting, tearing, and chewing. Prior to reaching full maturity, teeth go through a growth and development process just like every other element of the human body. During the first six to twelve months after birth, babies develop milk teeth. Permanent teeth eventually replace the milk teeth, usually starting about age seven.
The removal of wisdom teeth is considered oral surgery. The surgical operation will be carried out by a dental care professional, such as a surgical dentist, periodontist, or an oral surgeon. Most wisdom teeth are removed with a local anesthesia that will numb the gums while you are awake, or general anesthesia, which will render you fully unconscious for the surgical procedure, depending on how many of your wisdom teeth need to be removed.
What Is Wisdom Teeth Extraction?
The wisdom teeth are the last pair of teeth to erupt. Most often people get their wisdom teeth in their early or late adolescent years by the request of an orthodontist or eruption issues. Your wisdom teeth may need to be extracted because of the harm they can do to nearby teeth and gums as they erupt.
Typically, on most people there is sufficient room for wisdom teeth to erupt without difficulty or discomfort. However, on some there is inadequate space in the back of your mouth for the proper eruption of wisdom teeth. Your wisdom teeth may become impacted—that is, they may erupt at an angle and press against the adjacent teeth or gum tissue—when this occurs. This may result in misaligned teeth, discomfort, and edema. In certain situations, your dentist could advise wisdom tooth extraction as a preventative measure or as a treatment for dental issues.
Your dentist will extract one or more wisdom teeth during a wisdom teeth extraction. Every situation is unique. Some people might only require one tooth extraction, while others might require all four. It’s crucial to remember that wisdom tooth extractions are frequently performed. Actually, by the age of 25, about 50% of adults had at least one wisdom tooth extracted.
What’s the Reason For Getting Wisdom Teeth Removed?
The eruption of wisdom teeth does not necessarily mean that they have to be removed. Wisdom teeth extractions often occur only when the teeth are causing issues or are expected to in the future. The removal of painless and uncomplicated wisdom teeth is not of benefit to your health. Furthermore, getting rid of wisdom teeth is typically uncomfortable and can have negative side effects. You might not require extraction if your wisdom teeth grow into your mouth healthily and do not interfere with the health of your other teeth or gums. On the other hand, the accumulation of bacteria and plaque around an impacted wisdom teeth can lead to a number of dental issues, such as infection or pain.
In order to prevent or treat any of the following issues that your wisdom teeth may cause, your dentist may advise getting them removed under these circumstances:
- Pain or discomfort
- Gum disease
- Gum infection
- Abscess
- Cysts
- Orthodontic reasons
- Prevention of future health problems
What Should I Expect During My Wisdom teeth Extraction
The specifics of your treatment, the number of teeth that need to be extracted, and the kind of anesthesia the dentists utilizes will determine what happens during the wisdom tooth removal process.
Surprising, most wisdom teeth extraction procedures are relatively painless. You should not experience any pain throughout the procedure, especially if you are sedated. You might experience some pressure in your mouth or around your back teeth as the surgeon extracts your wisdom teeth if local anesthetic is being used for the surgery.
Below are some general steps regarding the actual tooth extraction procedure:
- Numbing: After placing gum numbing medication, the dentist will place a local anesthetic that will numb the wisdom tooth and gums.
- Gum resection: The surgeon will gently remove or retract gum tissue with a scalpel in order to better expose the wisdom tooth.
- Bone resection: Bone may surround an impacted wisdom teeth entirely or in part. A high-speed tool can be used in these situations to drill through and remove the overlying bone.
- Tooth removal: The dentist will use specialized instruments to remove the tooth with minimal tissue removal. The instruments vary from surgical drills to elevator designed to “lift’ the tooth of out the socket.
- Closing: After the tooth is removed an irritant is used to rinse out any infection. Stiches are utilized to close the extraction site.
Recovery and Healing
Following a wisdom teeth extraction, there are a few critical things you should and shouldn’t do to speed up your recuperation.
It is crucial to remember that extraction of wisdom teeth is a big procedure, and recovery might take a long period. The entire healing process following the extraction of wisdom teeth can take up to two weeks. You’ll need to monitor your recuperation and take extra care to prevent complications, as your oral surgeon or dentist will advise.
- Avoid strenuous exercise
- Gently brush your teeth the following day
- No spitting or drinking from a straw. This causes suction that could disrupt the healing process
- No alcohol or tobacco
- Gently gargle with warm salt water
- Avoid foods with small seeds
- Bland and simple diet for 24-48 hours
- Take all medications as prescribed
It’s critical that you adhere to your dentist’s recovery guidelines as you heal. This could entail altering your food, taking your prescription drugs as directed, and adopting new lifestyle practices. It’s advisable to get in touch with your provider for medical attention if you have any feverish symptoms, discover indications of an infection, or if your symptoms don’t go away following the treatment. Following these steps will help assure a pain free and speedy recovery.
