Wisdom Teeth Removal

Almost everybody is born with wisdom teeth; however they usually don't develop until later on in life around the ages of 17. Some people may develop all four wisdom teeth, whereas others may only have one or twoor none at all. About 35% of people do not develop wisdom teeth at all during their lifetime. In some cases, the wisdom teeth aren't an issue, but for most cases, removal is required.

Reasons for Removal

Removal Process

The process can be done in your dentist office or an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. In most cases, the procedure is done in the dentist's office, if you are at high risk for complications it will likely be done in a surgical facility. If you are having just one removed, a local anesthetic can be used for the area, but if all are being removed, a general anesthetic is recommended to help prevent any discomfort and make the process easier on the body.

1. When removing the tooth, the gum tissue has to be opened to remove the bone that is covering it.
2. The tissue is separated from the bone and tooth and then the tooth is removed. To make the removal process easier the tooth is usually broken up into pieces and taken out piece by piece.
3. Stitches are put into place and cotton gauze is used to stop the bleeding. Some of the stitches will dissolve while others have to be removed by the dentist after a few days.

Recovery Process

After surgery, some pain and bleeding are to be expected. The dentist or surgeon will prescribe medicine to assist with the pain. The bleeding should stop roughly 24 hours after surgery, but if it continues then contact your dentist to ensure everything is ok. Lying flat on you back will prolong the bleeding so make sure to lay propped up with pillows. Your mouth will be numb until the anesthetic wears off and will be swollen for a few days after the procedure. An ice pack can be used to help for the first 24 hours and then a warm rag for the next few days.

Eating can be difficult, so soft foods are recommended. Avoid sipping from a straw, though, as that can cause dry sockets which are extremely painful. Rubbing your tongue or touching the wound with your finger, can also delay healing. After the first day, you should rinse your mouth out with warm salt water multiple times a day to help with the pain and swelling.

Risks Involved

There are some risks involved. Obviously pain and swelling are the most common of them all. Others include:

• Difficulty or pain from opening your jaw and painful inflammation called dry socket.
• Damage to existing dental work or roots of a nearby tooth can also happen.
• One of the more serious ones would be numbness in the mouth and lips even after the anesthetic has worn off. This can be due to injury or inflammation of nerves located in the jaw.

When deciding if this procedure is right for you, be sure to talk with your family dentist or an oral surgeon about what side effects could come of you not having your teeth removed. Although there are potential risks involved with any type of surgery, the side effects of not removing the teeth could be even worse.