Wisdom Teeth Extraction
Wisdom teeth extraction seems fearsome to many individuals, and they try to avoid it. But it is not so. Wisdom teeth are removed mainly to eliminate the possibility for infection and damage to neighbouring teeth. This is because, as the jaws of most individuals are not big enough to accommodate the wisdom teeth, they either remain inside the gums and bear 3 to 5 percent chances to develop cyst or they erupt partially, in which case, there is a higher risk of their infection. Infection thus caused gives rise to bone loss, harm to the adjacent teeth and pain. When the dentist notices that there is no space for the wisdom teeth to come out normally, decision for wisdom teeth extraction is taken.
Your dentist or an oral or maxillofacial surgeon performs wisdom teeth extraction. Usually the procedure is done at the dentist’s or oral surgeon’s office. If you will be getting all your wisdom teeth pulled out at a time or if you have higher risk of complications, the surgery is done in a hospital too. The surgery is delayed if there is any infection at the site, till the infection is cured completely. For this, antibiotics are prescribed by the dentist.
During the actual procedure of wisdom teeth extraction, the area where the tooth will be removed is made numb by local anesthetics. General anesthesia is given when many or all your wisdom teeth are to be extracted at the same time. This anesthesia prevents pain in the entire body and makes you sleep throughout the surgery. In order to prepare for the anesthetic, you are instructed not to consume food after midnight on the night prior to surgery.
The extraction starts by opening up of the gum tissue over the tooth. The surgeon takes out any bone which covers the teeth. For this, the tissue connecting the tooth to the bone is separated and then the tooth is extracted. Sometimes, the tooth is cut into smaller pieces in order to make it easier to extract.
The dentist may sew the wound with stitches, which either dissolve with time or should be removed after some time. The type of stitches will be told to you by the dentist and you will require visiting the dentist again to remove them if necessary. The dentist puts a folded gauze pad over the surgical wound to cease bleeding, which you have to maintain in the mouth, slightly pressurizing it repeatedly. If the pad becomes full of blood, change it; don’t spit the blood. If the bleeding doesn’t stop even after 24 hours of surgery, call your dentist or oral surgeon.
Mostly the recovery period is only a few days long. Follow the course of medicines exactly as prescribed. Your mouth remains numb for some time after the surgery. Take care not to bite tongue or inside of the cheek or lip during that period. While lying down, prop up your head with pillows. This will help controlling bleeding. Do not engage into vigorous physical activities. Instead, engage into watching TV, reading, listening to music, etc. Rest completely.
Extraction of wisdom teeth prevents overcrowding of back teeth. It is also necessary when a wisdom tooth becomes stuck in the jaw. A partially erupted wisdom tooth develops a patch of tissue, which gives rise to pain, for which its extraction is essential. And the extraction is also necessary to prevent gum problems and tooth decay of the wisdom tooth, which cannot be cleaned properly. Looking at these pros you will realize that wisdom teeth extraction is quite necessary and not at all fearsome.