The four wisdom teeth that come out in the back of your mouth are also known as the third set of molars, and they tend to erupt when we are in our late teens or early twenties. For people whose wisdom teeth present with problems, wisdom teeth surgery may be necessary to remove them. Let’s take a closer look at what you can expect from wisdom teeth removal surgery.
What Problems Can Occur With The Wisdom Teeth?
In some people the wisdom teeth may not erupt fully, or they may erupt with problems, such as becoming impacted against bone and other teeth. Some of the possible problems that they can cause include
Tooth Decay
When the wisdom teeth are not straight or they impact against the bone or other teeth, they can create small spaces that are difficult to clean, and cause tooth decay. While tooth decay can jeopardise the health of the wisdom tooth in question, it may also affect the adjacent teeth, gum or underlying bone.
Cyst Development
Untreated tooth decay may result in the development of a cyst. It is important that impacted wisdom teeth are removed as soon as possible to avoid the chances of a cyst forming.
Crowding
If there is not enough space in the jaw for the wisdom teeth to erupt, it can cause crowding in the mouth that results in your other teeth being crooked. Sometimes a dentist may need to remove teeth to compensate for this.
Inflamed Gums
Sometimes a tooth does not erupt fully and stays partially hidden under your gum. This can cause the gum to become swollen and painful.
What Can You Expect From Wisdom Teeth Surgery?
Not all wisdom teeth need to be removed; only those that present with problems will be recommended for wisdom teeth removal.
Most wisdom teeth removals can be done under local anaesthetic and procedures are quite quick and should not be feared. An x-ray will likely be taken before your dentist moves forward with the removal. How long the procedure takes will depend on the number of wisdom teeth being removed and the type of anaesthetic that is used.
If your wisdom teeth have only erupted partially,your dentist will first need to cut through the gum that covers them. Any bone around the tooth will also need to be removed. Large teeth may need to be broken into smaller pieces before being pulled out. Sometimes it is necessary for your dentist to make a few stitches to help with the healing process.
Recovery from wisdom tooth removal is also quite comfortable when the procedure is done by an experienced dental professional. Some swelling and discomfort might be experienced once the anaesthetic wears off, but most patients find they can manage it without medication.
It is important that you follow your dentist’s postoperative wisdom teeth removal surgery instructions very closely in order to avoid dry socket and infection at the site.
If you have any questions about wisdom teeth surgery it’s important to seek professional help as soon as possible. Please give us a call: (02) 8806 0578.
Recent Comments