Routinely offered for all ages of Durham, NC people, wisdom teeth (also called third molars) removal surgery can be done for several reasons. These teeth typically erupt from the gums in the teen and early adulthood years. After a thorough dental examination and x-rays at DentalWorks – Durham, our professional team can determine whether or not you need your wisdom teeth removed.
REASONS FOR WISDOM TOOTH REMOVAL
Various issues may contribute to the requirement for wisdom tooth removal. Some of the most common ones include impacted teeth, a cavity or gum disease, wisdom teeth that have erupted at the wrong angle, or if your mouth is not large enough for erupted teeth. Oftentimes, a wisdom tooth doesn’t have enough room to grow, leading to an impacted wisdom tooth. This can result in pain, infection, and other oral health issues while increasing your chance of developing a bacterial infection. In severe cases, a cyst develops around unerupted wisdom teeth, which can lead to injury to the bone or nerve tissue. Additionally, since these molars are so far back in your mouth, wisdom teeth can be hard to reach in order to brush and floss effectively. If wisdom teeth erupt at the wrong angle, it can lead to them pressing on other teeth and shifting your teeth out of their normal position. This can damage other teeth and your jaw as well as cause bite problems. Likewise, our jaw may have no room for these molars. This can lead to crowding and the chance of the wisdom teeth becoming impacted. Whether it will prevent future oral health issues, require emergency wisdom tooth removal, or if you just want to alleviate the pain you’re already experiencing, wisdom tooth extraction is a routine procedure that our professional team regularly performs for our Durham, NC patients.
HOW WISDOM TOOTH EXTRACTION WORKS
The professional dental team at DentalWorks – Durham is able to conduct wisdom tooth removal surgery conveniently in our office. Depending on your oral health situation, you may just receive a local anesthetic for surgery, while others who may be having more than one wisdom tooth extracted at the same time may have general anesthesia and are asleep for the procedure. Once you are numb, the gum tissue at the extraction site is opened if the tooth is impacted. If any bone is blocking access to the tooth root, it is removed. If the tooth is severely impacted, it may be divided into sections so it’s easier to remove. The site of the removed tooth is cleaned of any debris thoroughly. When the wisdom tooth extraction is complete, the site is stitched to help with healing. Gauze is placed over the extraction site in order to help control bleeding and to promote healing.
POST WISDOM TOOTH REMOVAL RECOVERY TIPS
In most cases, people might have a small amount of bleeding at the extraction site. This can be controlled by gently biting on gauze pads. Recovery after wisdom tooth surgery can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on how many extractions you had done. Swelling can be reduced by holding an ice pack to the outside of the cheek. On day two, you can begin to use moist heat to feel more comfortable. Rinsing the mouth with warm salt water a few times a day will also provide some relief.
HOW CAN I SPEED UP HEALING AFTER WISDOM TOOTH SURGERY?
Throughout the first day after the surgery, it’s essential to not dislodge the blood clots that should form. Blood clots form in the place where the tooth or teeth were removed, and they are an important part of the healing process, as they prevent excessive bleeding, protect your wound from infection and any exposed bones, and allow new tissue to grow successfully. Avoid rinsing the mouth, brushing next to the extraction site, drinking hot drinks, eating foods that require any chewing, sucking on straws, and smoking for at least 24 hours. Rinsing the mouth with an antiseptic mouth rinse after 24 hours is advisable.
LEARN MORE ABOUT WISDOM TOOTH REMOVAL SURGERY
Visit us to find out more concerning your procedure options when oral discomfort is hindering your oral health. Our dentists at DentalWorks – Durham can help determine whether or not you require wisdom tooth extraction. We use the latest in diagnostic dental procedures to evaluate and determine the source of your tooth pain. Save your smile and your oral health today by making an appointment at our Durham, NC office.
Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars in the back of your mouth that begin to show in your late teens/early 20s. The most common reasons that people need to have their wisdom teeth extracted include:
They are trapped or impacted. Because they are located so far back in the mouth, wisdom teeth may not emerge normally and can become trapped or impacted in the jawbone or gums. This can cause pain, an infection, or a cyst that damages other teeth.
May not have fully erupted through the gums. Because it is hard to see and properly clean teeth that have not fully emerged from the gums, it can house harmful bacteria that lead to gum disease and oral infections.
The mouth is not big enough. In some cases, the jaw simply has no room for an extra set of molars and the wisdom teeth need to be extracted.
