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Wisdom Teeth 2 – Removal

In our first posting in this two part series on wisdom teeth, we considered what these were and some interesting facts relating to them. It is true that most peoples concern around wisdom teeth arises when problems and removal are needed, so we will now take this second posting to look at that in greater detail.

As we established earlier in the modern dentistry era taking wisdom teeth out is generally not the ‘done thing’ anymore, after all, who would want a procedure for the sake of it? The below are definite examples of when this procedure might need to be considered though.

* The patient is in pain with the wisdom teeth and keeping them in would be impractical.

* When it becomes obvious that they will (or have) come through with limited space to exist for comfort and optimal housing.

* If the wisdom teeth have partly or fully emerged but decay has meant the teeth have become broken down (often in the same way this happens to other teeth, except in this case it is more likely because they are more difficult to reach and clean.)

Like with any medical procedure a balancing exercise needs to be taken – if the benefit outweighs the scope of the procedure then extraction is likely to be helpful and recommended.

The one question on everyones mind with wisdom teeth removal is are they difficult to take out and will the procedure be painful?

This often depends on the individual and can sometimes compromise of things beyond the dentists control. Generally speaking the answer to this question lies with the position of the impacted wisdom teeth and the status with the associated roots. Most dentists will have a good idea about how easy they are to remove from your personal examination and most dentists also agree that the upper wisdom teeth are easier to deal with than the lower ones. Wisdom teeth are normally taken out by either dentists or specialists at the hospital. Often more complicated cases require attendance at the latter but again your dentist will advise.

In terms of being comfortable during the procedure, the usual route is to have a local anaesthetic (which numbs the area and surround) and possible sedation to help the patient keep calm and relaxed. It is understandable that some people would rather not be awake during the procedure at all (again especially for the more complex cases) and in these situations general anaesthetics are offered / advised in these instances. If this applies then you will need to go to a hospital as general anaesthetics can only be administered in these places.

After the procedure has been carried there is usually some swelling and pain for a few days. This is only normal after an invasive treatment. You will normally get after care advice which will include use of a medicated mouth wash for example. Follow these instructions carefully as they are likely to help with recovery and healing far quicker. In addition to this you should be able to take normal painkillers to help with any discomfort and it is best to avoid things like smoking, drinking and hot/spicy food for as long as possible to give the mouth chance to recover and avoid unnecessary, extra bleeding. After about a week you will probably need to go back to your dentist for a follow up just to check everything is progressing correctly. Your mouth may have also had stiches in to help with healing and if this was applicable, these are likely to be removed at the follow up appointment.

Once everything has healed and back to normal you won’t notice any real effects and the procedure doesn’t have any long lasting consequences. The only thing you will notice is your mouth will feel much better because there will be less overcrowding and this will make it more comfortable to you.

We hope you have enjoyed reading our two part series on wisdom teeth and found all the information useful. To find out more on this topic, visit our dedicated wisdom teeth removal page for more details.

Get in touch with us today on 01827 664 35