Wisdom Tooth Surgery 101: Before, During and After the Procedure

People have four wisdom teeth that are positioned at the end of both the lower and upper jaw.They are usually the last set of teeth to erupt in one’s mouth, and they begin to appear between the age of 17 to 25.

Statistics show that wisdom teeth will erupt normally in most people, while in others, they may not develop at all. In most persons, the wisdom teeth are impacted because of insufficient room to grow normally in the mouth. When this occurs, they will either erupt partially or fail to erupt.

If there is no adequate space for wisdom teeth to grow, it is advisable to have them pulled out because they will cause you pain and increase the chances of developing an infection or other oral problems. Other reasons why they are taken out are:

• Presence of cavities
• Gum disease
• If they erupt at a wrong angle
• If the jaw/mouth isn’t large enough to accommodate them

The following is a list of problems linked to an impacted tooth:

• Pain
• Periodontal disease
• The formation of sacs filled with fluid around areas surrounding the tooth
• Tooth decay
• Orthodontic complications
• Surrounding bone or tooth damage

Garden Lakes Family Dentistry in Phoenix, offers wisdom teeth extraction services. You can book an appointment with us and get the best care from our dental team, who have 13 years of experience in the field.

What Happens Before Surgery

During your scheduled visit to the dentist, you can ask questions related to the surgery and also discuss any medical condition that you have with the practitioner. This helps to avoid preventable complications that can arise during surgery.

Phoenix dentists will also request you to make a list of the drugs that you take regularly. In addition, you will be asked to choose the type of local anesthesia you’d want to have. This is, if you want to be asleep during the surgery or if you want the practitioner to numb the area under surgery.

What to Expect During Surgery?

The removal of a wisdom tooth is a one-day surgical procedure and takes about 45 minutes. To make the surgery pain free, the following types of anesthetic drugs will be used:

• Local anesthesia – This will serve the purpose of numbing the patient’s mouth and get them relaxed.
• General anesthesia – Itmakes patients’ fall asleep during surgery.
• IV sedation – Administered through the vein in the arm, IV sedation makes one drowsy and also numbs the mouth.

Your bone or gums may be cut by the doctor to get to the tooth out.If this happens, your wounds will be stitched for it to heal quickly. The stitches are designed to dissolve in a couple of days.

What to Do and Not Do Immediately After Surgery

The care tips issued after the extraction of wisdom teeth should be taken seriously to minimize the recovery time. More so, they prevent unnecessary swelling and pain, lowering the chances of developing complications like an infection.Here is a list of the dos and don’ts:

• 1. Use ice on your cheeks after surgery.
• 2. Remove the surgical gauze pad 30 to 40 minutes after the surgery.
• 3. Avoid hot drinks.
• 4. Do not suck on straws.
• 5. Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption for the next 24 hours.

Foods to Eat After Surgery

Good nutrition will play a key role in your recovery. Patients are advised to drink plenty of water and eat foods that are rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals for at least 4 to 7 days after surgery. Examples of such foods are scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, oatmeal, soft fish, yogurt, cottage cheese, fruit smoothies,and soft meat.

Recovery Time

The recovery time after wisdom tooth removal can last for up to 14 days, depending on how well the patient is taking care of himself/herself. The recovery time is different for every patient, but some factors may cause it to take longer. For instance, if the wound gets infected or if the blood clot gets dislodged from your wound.

Home Care Tips

• 1. Do not touch the wound.
• 2. Put a restriction on your activities until you are fully recovered.
• 3. Avoid rinsing your mouth vigorously.
• 4. Take your prescribed pain relievers the moment you begin to get a feeling of discomfort.