Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the final teeth to develop. Most of us have four wisdom teeth, one in each corner of the mouth. They usually emerge during our late teens or early twenties.
Often times, wisdom teeth become trapped or impacted in the jawbone or simply fail to break through the gums. This can cause crowding or displacement of other teeth or lead to the development of localized tooth decay, infection, or gum disease. Impacted wisdom teeth are set in the jawbone in unusual positions, sometimes horizontally, which stops them from breaking through the gums in a normal way.
There is not an overall consensus within the dental community on when and if you should get your wisdom teeth removed. Some doctors recommend that wisdom teeth should almost always be removed. On the other end of the spectrum, some doctors will wait until they become very infected first. The general opinion of Smiles by Design is: if you are over 30 years of age and the x-rays don’t show signs of abscess, cyst formation or decay in the tooth or adjacent teeth, then they should probably remain.
Treatment
If a wisdom tooth requires extraction, the patient will be anesthized, then an incision is made and overlying soft tissue and bone are removed, exposing the crown of the impacted tooth. The tooth is extracted whole or surgically cut into large pieces, which can be removed separately if the entire tooth cannot be removed at once. The extraction site is then closed with stitches.
As an extraction is a very invasive procedure, special care will be needed to ease any discomfort and promote healing.
- Use ice packs on the cheek for swelling, alternating on and off every thirty minutes
- Apply biting pressure with clean gauze to stop bleeding
- Eat soft foods and drink extra liquids
- Avoid hard or crunchy foods in the tender area
- Brush carefully the day after surgery
- Take prescribed medications and follow all instructions
- Avoid the use of drinking straws to preserve the blood clot in the tooth socket
- Your Smiles by Design dentist may recommend use of a therapeutic rinse
Whenever possible, have wisdom teeth examined early. Wisdom teeth are easier to remove and will generally have less complications if they are removed early on.
