Wisdom teeth are located at the back of your mouth and are also known as the third molar. They come through your gums during the late teens or 20s and while they can come through without causing issues, they can also cause problems – such as incomplete growth (partially erupted), getting stuck, growing at an angle, or growing too long.
Getting wisdom teeth removed is common, and there are a few reasons why you might need this done, including the following:
- Ongoing pain
- If it has grown too far out and damages the cheek or gums
- Repeated infections of the gum
- Serious infection of the gum
- Tooth decay
- Problems with your jaw
- Unable to clean it properly, causing decay and gum problems
- Lack of space
- Possible cyst or other jaw problems, including jaw fracture
What You Need To Know
We have around 32 teeth in our mouth, and sometimes our jaw does not have sufficient room to accommodate them or sometimes the gum at the back of the wisdom teeth covers part of the tooth making them extremely difficult to clean.
If you’re experiencing pain and/or other problems from your wisdom teeth, extraction might be the best option moving forward. Here’s more of what you need to know.
Your dentist will be able to check the tooth that’s causing you problems and determine whether or not it needs removing. Removal can usually be completed by our in house Dental Surgeon.
Recovery is usually quite fast, though you may experience some discomfort for a few days afterwards. You might want to take a few days or up to a week off work but will be able to return to all normal activities in that time. The following are some of the ways you can manage the recovery:
If you are experiencing pain, use a general pain reliever your treating dentist will advise o what pain relief is best for you.
For bleeding, try to avoid spitting too much blood out as this will stop the blood clot forming. Replace the gauze as often as necessary.
For swelling and bruising, use an ice pack. If you are experiencing swelling of the cheeks, this should subside within 2-3 days, while bruising could take a week or so.
With drinking and eating, avoid alcohol, caffeine, carbonated or hot drinks for 24 hours and don’t drink through a straw for a week. Eat only soft food for the first 24 hours and avoid anything hard, chewy, hot or spicy as these might irritate the wound.
When it comes to keeping your mouth clean, don’t brush your teeth, rinse your mouth or use mouthwash for 24 hours. When you do start doing these again, take care around the wound area for the first week. If you are a smoker, stay away from tobacco for at least three days, longer if possible.
- Pain
- Bleeding
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Infection
- Dry socket (socket isn’t healing well)
- Retained roots
- Sinus issues
- Damage to other teeth
- Broken jaw (rare)
- Nerve damage (rare)
- Trismus (rare – not being able to open your jaw properly)
- Osteonecrosis (very rare – jawbone starts to die)
Depndant on the position and condition of your wisdom teeth, the alternatve may be to siply leave them alone and treat them if or when the cause problems.
If you want to find out more about wisdom teeth removal and to discuss your options, the team at Aesthetic Dental and Denture Clinic are on hand to take your call. Book an appointment and we’ll be more than happy to provide you with the right advice and a quote. Keep in mind we also provide payment plan options, so if you are budget-conscious, just ask!
