South Star Family Dental, is
committed to provide prompt
treatment for any dental
emergency.
committed to provide prompt
treatment for any dental
emergency.
Wisdom Teeth Extraction
Your wisdom teeth (or your third molars), are usually the last teeth to erupt in your mouth. Your wisdom teeth can be functional if they are healthy and positioned correctly. However, there are often reasons why you may need to have your wisdom teeth extracted. In some cases your wisdom teeth can become impacted or only partially erupt through the gum in a misalignment. When impacted or partially impacted, your wisdom teeth can cause swelling, pain and even infection in the surrounding gum. They can also put pressure on the adjacent teeth, which can result in permanent damage to otherwise healthy teeth and their surrounding bone.
Sometimes, impacted or partially impacted wisdom teeth can also lead to the formation of cysts, and in worse case scenarios tumours, which could potentially destroy an entire section of your jaw. Finally, due to the difficulty of cleaning an impacted tooth, they need to be removed in order to prevent decay. For these reasons, the smart move is to have your wisdom teeth removed.
You may be wondering, when is the most appropriate time to have my wisdom teeth removed? There is no single right answer for everyone; however, if your dentist has advised you that your wisdom teeth look potentially problematic it's generally best to remove them sooner rather than later. This advice is based on the fact that the younger you are, the faster you heal. The likeliness of lingering numbness, jaw fracture or other complications also increases with age. The longer a problematic wisdom tooth is left in your mouth, the longer it has to cause problems.Sometimes, impacted or partially impacted wisdom teeth can also lead to the formation of cysts, and in worse case scenarios tumours, which could potentially destroy an entire section of your jaw. Finally, due to the difficulty of cleaning an impacted tooth, they need to be removed in order to prevent decay. For these reasons, the smart move is to have your wisdom teeth removed.
Process:
Whether a dentist or a specialist is performing the extraction, the procedure is the same:
- First, a local anesthetic is given to make the procedure as comfortable as possible. In some cases, your doctor may elect to administer nitrous oxide gas in addition to the anesthetic, or use a general anesthetic to put you under entirely.
- Once the area is numb, the extraction begins. A dental instrument called an elevator is used to wiggle the tooth in its socket.
- After the tooth is loosened it is removed using forceps or, in some more complicated cases, a surgical hand piece is also used to assist with the removal of the tooth.
Like most other procedures, tooth extraction is not free of possible complications. You should be aware that there is a slight chance of infection, tenderness, prolonged bleeding, dry socket and loosening of neighbouring teeth or their fillings or crowns. Jaw fracture and temporary or permanent numbness are also very rare possibilities.
