Wisdom Teeth Removal: Why It’s Necessary and How It’s Carried Out

Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt. They generally show up sometime between a person’s late teens and mid-twenties. At times, these third molars can cause a painful experience when they emerge.

Some people may have impacted wisdom teeth in Brookline or other issues that prompt them to seek wisdom tooth extraction offered at our dental office in Boston. You need to know that wisdom teeth removal, just like any other type of extraction, is normally the last resort. In other words, wisdom teeth are only removed when it is absolutely necessary.

Why Is Wisdom Teeth Removal Mandatory in Some Cases?

In most cases, wisdom teeth emerge without issues, just like the other teeth. However, there are some people who have wisdom teeth that are impacted and never emerge. Impacted teeth are the primary reason why most people seek wisdom teeth removal.

Having impacted teeth simply means that your teeth were either only able to partially emerge or unable to emerge at all. In some instances, they may grow at a right angle, parallel to the jawbone. At times, an impacted tooth may grow at an angle toward the back of the mouth or second molar.

Other than your wisdom teeth being impacted, wisdom teeth can also be pulled if:

• You have tooth decay or periodontitis that was caused by poor cleaning of the tooth due to your inability to reach it while brushing.
• Your jaw doesn’t have enough space to accommodate more teeth.

What Happens If Your Teeth Are Impacted?

If your wisdom teeth are impacted but not extracted, then you may experience the following issues:

• Tooth decay in a tooth that may be partially emerged
• Periodontitis or infection
• Trapped food particles behind your teeth
• Development of a cyst or fluid sac around the wisdom tooth
• Pain or discomfort
• Complications that may come about when you are undergoing orthodontic treatment
• Damage to the surrounding bone

When to Call Our Dentist

If you experience any of the following symptoms, you should contact our dental office in Boston:

• Fever
• Pus or blood in the nasal passage
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Swelling that worsens after three days
• Pus oozing or in the socket
• Severe pain that doesn’t get better even with prescribed medication
• Excessive bleeding
• A bad taste in the mouth

You should get immediate dental help if you experience these symptoms since they indicate nerve damage, an infection, or a severe complication.

The Extraction Process

Preparing for the Surgery

Typically, wisdom tooth removal is an outpatient procedure, meaning you can go home after the procedure. Here’s how you prepare for surgery:

• Plan for the day and your transportation to go home after the surgery.
• Discuss the type of anesthesia you prefer—if you desire to be asleep during the procedure or just numb.
• Disclose the drugs plus supplements that you may be using.
• If you have any conditions, talk them over with our dentist beforehand.

During the Surgery

The length of the procedure is dependent on the complexity and number of teeth being removed. However, expect the procedure to take no more than 45 minutes. The procedure will commence when our dentist has administered general, IV, or local anesthesia so that you can be comfortable during the procedure.

After the anesthesia has set in, our dentist will then:

• Make an incision on the bone and gums to make it easier to reach the trapped tooth.
• Divide the tooth so that removing it becomes much easier.
• Remove the pieces of your tooth.
• Clean the socket.
• Place gauze on the wound to reduce bleeding and promote blood clotting.

What Happens After Surgery?

Typically, it takes four days for you to heal. However, the wound may take several months before it can fully heal. You must adhere to the aftercare instructions so that the wound doesn’t become infected. A follow-up appointment will be scheduled so that our dentist can check to see if you are healing properly.

Give our dentist at Brookline Oral Surgery Group a call if you think you may need to extract impacted wisdom teeth in Brookline.