Wisdom teeth extraction can help to relieve pain in a patient’s teeth that results from the wisdom teeth causing crowding issues or growing incorrectly. There are many different reasons you may need to extract your wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth extraction removes the third set of molars in the back of your mouth.
Wisdom teeth extraction is available at Smile Solutions in Pittsburg and the surrounding area. Most patients who need wisdom teeth extraction are in the stages of young adulthood. Call us today at 620-317-0286 to learn more and schedule an appointment.
Reasons For Wisdom Teeth Extractions
Wisdom teeth are the last set of molars and permanent teeth that emerge in the back of the mouth. They generally erupt between the ages of 17 and 21, granting them the name “wisdom teeth.” However, in some cases, they never come out at all. Since they are the last teeth on each arch and have no security between them, wisdom teeth can erupt at any angle.
Wisdom teeth are often removed for preventive purposes, as they can cause pain and oral health problems later in life, even if there is no present pain. Extraction becomes necessary when the wisdom tooth or teeth are damaging the other teeth or the jaw, causing sinus issues, inflamed gums, and cavities, or are impacting teeth alignment. These more serious problems can result in various oral conditions as the patient gets older.
- Extraction becomes necessary when the wisdom tooth or teeth are causing damage to other teeth or the jaw, causing sinus issues, inflamed gums and cavities, or are impacting teeth alignment.
Potential Risks
Although wisdom teeth extraction is a common and safe procedure, there are a variety of potential risks involved with extracting any tooth. However, these complications are often associated with patients who are at high-risk because of other conditions. We conduct a thorough examination and discussion of each patient’s medical and dental history to determine whether they would be a good candidate for extraction.
Some of the risks associated with wisdom tooth extraction include:
Painful dry socket, or exposure of bone when the post-surgical blood clot is lost from the site of the surgical wound
Infection in the socket from bacteria or trapped food particles
Damage to nearby teeth, nerves, jawbone, or sinuses
- Although wisdom teeth extraction is common and safe, there are a variety of potential risks involved with extracting any tooth.
Preparing For Wisdom Teeth Extraction
The first step to wisdom teeth extraction begins with an initial consultation. During this time, patients should be open and honest with their doctor about their entire medical history. This includes but is not limited to sharing any health problems they may have, any medications and supplements they may take regularly, and any lifestyle choices that may influence the success of the surgery. The consultation is also a good time for patients to assuage their anxieties by asking any questions about the procedure.
- The first step to wisdom teeth extraction begins with an initial consultation.
What To Expect During Wisdom Teeth Extraction
Generally, wisdom teeth extraction begins with the doctor injecting the patient with a local anesthetic to numb them to the pain of the procedure. The doctor will then cut into the gum tissue to expose the tooth and bone, making sure to remove any bone blocking access to the tooth root. Depending on how severely impacted the tooth is, the tooth may be divided into sections to be removed little by little.
After extracting the tooth, the doctor will clean the extraction site of any debris. Afterward, the wound may or may not need stitches, and the doctor will pack gauze over the extraction site to control bleeding and to aid in the formation of a blood clot.
- After extracting the tooth, the doctor will clean the extraction site of any debris.
Aftercare For Wisdom Teeth Extraction
Patients should expect to rest for the remainder of the day following their wisdom teeth extraction. Though regular activities can be resumed as soon as the day after, patients should refrain from any strenuous activity for at least a week following their procedure. Otherwise, they run the risk of overexertion and dislodging the blood clot. Our team will provide patients with a customized recovery plan for their specific procedures.
Complications following wisdom teeth extraction are rare as long as patients follow this plan. However, patients should contact us immediately if they are experiencing any of the following:
- Blood or pus in nasal discharge
- Difficulty swallowing or breathing
- Excessive bleeding
- Fever
- Foul taste in the mouth
- Persistent numbness or loss of feeling
- Pus in or oozing from the socket
- Severe pain that does not subside
- Swelling that does not subside after two or three days
- Though regular activities can be resumed as soon as the day after, patients should refrain from any strenuous activity for at least a week following their procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quality Dental Services Can Transform Your Smile
By visiting us as soon as possible, our team can help get you the professional treatment you need. Instead of waiting around and allowing the symptoms to get worse, we can provide you with treatment options.
Dental Terminology
Anesthesia is a substance that medical professionals administer in various forms (gas, injection, or pill) that helps patients not feel pain or sensations during surgical operations.
Asymptomatic wisdom teeth are wisdom teeth that show no symptoms of irritation, inflammation, or overcrowding in the mouth and require extraction.
Cosmetic dentistry is generally used to refer to any dental work that improves the appearance (though not necessarily the function) of a person’s teeth, gums, and/or bite.
Cysts are fluid-filled sacs that can also contain gas or pus and can occur anywhere on the body, even in or around the mouth/teeth.
A dental checkup is an appointment that involves cleaning the teeth, identifying any signs of infection, and removing said signs of infection at least once every six months in the office.
A dental prophylaxis is a professional and detailed cleaning that involves the removal of plaque, calculus, and stains from the teeth.
A dentist, also known as a dental surgeon, is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity.
A dry socket can occur after pulling a tooth out and seeing white bone in said socket. Other symptoms of dry socket include bad breath and an unpleasant taste in the mouth.
Oral surgery is a type of surgery that focuses on the mouth, jaw, gums, or teeth. Oral surgery can repair, enhance, or correct multiple issues in the mouth.
Pericoronitis refers to the inflammation of the soft tissue surrounding the crown of a partially-erupted tooth.
Preventive dentistry is the dentistry that focuses on maintaining oral health in order to prevent the spread of plaque, the formation of tartar, and infections in the mouth.
The third molars are also known as the wisdom teeth and typically require removal in order to prevent pain and other issues in the mouth.
A vacuum-formed mouthguard involves customizing the mouthguard to match a mold of the individual patient’s teeth for a perfect fit.
Wisdom teeth impaction occurs when the wisdom teeth are under the gums enough that an individual cannot reach them with a toothbrush.