Wisdom Teeth Removal
Do I need my wisdom
teeth removed?
Wisdom teeth are the four molars that are usually the last to appear at the back of your top and bottom jaw. They normally come through during late adolescence. Some people may not get all four and some people may have none at all. The reason that wisdom teeth are commonly removed is because they can often lead to oral health problems. These may include jaw and facial pain from becoming impacted, gum disease, tooth decay and overcrowding of teeth causing difficulty in cleaning.
While most wisdom teeth cause issues, not all patients experience this. Dental x-rays can reveal the location and position of your wisdom teeth before they erupt. By maintaining regular and ongoing dental check-ups, your dentist can monitor them and advise on their removal if necessary.
What happens during a wisdom teeth extraction?
At Lexington Dental, our gentle dentists ensure that they do everything they can to ensure your wisdom tooth removal procedure is as easy and comfortable as possible. We use the latest in dental techniques and technologies and pair it with the best care we can provide.
Each case of wisdom teeth removal may look slightly different depending on the position of the teeth and whether they’ve fully erupted or not. Some procedures are simple, while others require surgical action. Your dentist will assess your wisdom teeth and recommend the best treatment option for you.
The surgical wisdom teeth removal process looks like this:
- Local anaesthetic is used to numb the area.
- Your dentist makes a small incision in the gum to expose the tooth.
- Your tooth may be divided into sections to make it easier to remove.
- Once everything has been removed the site is thoroughly cleaned.
- Your dentist may use a few stitches to close the incision.
- Lastly, they place some gauze over the site to help stop any bleeding.
Your dentist will provide you with all the information you need to then aid a successful recovery at home.
Safe and reliable wisdom teeth removal Bella Vista
Aftercare following a wisdom
tooth extraction
While every patient is different, it usually takes up to three of four days to recover from a wisdom tooth removal. While you wait for the local anesthetic to wear off it’s important to be mindful to not to chew/bite your cheeks, lips or tongue.
Once the anaesthetic has worn off you may experience some discomfort. This can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers. Swelling is quite common, you can use a cold compress to reduce it. You can brush your teeth and rinse your mouth out gently during your initial recovery period, but be sure not to brush directly over the extraction site.
Any bruising or bleeding should subside within a few days. For the first 24 to 48 hours it is important that you only consume soft foods like soup, yogurt… and yup, even ice cream! After this you can slowly reintroduce your normal diet. Just be gentle when chewing directly on the site while it’s still healing.
The day after your procedure, we’ll call to check on your progress. If you have any concerns before or after the procedure, simply contact our friendly team and they will answer all of your questions.