Wisdom teeth are those pesky teeth way in the back of the mouth that sometimes give people everything but wisdom. They are the third molars, and they are the most difficult teeth to clean. Aside from their awkward placement, wisdom teeth also like to grow in improperly. They sometimes refuse to emerge, causing a person to have to deal with impaction, pain and inconvenience. The following is some information about wisdom tooth extraction.
Why Dentists Remove Wisdom Teeth
A dentist may remove a person’s wisdom teeth for various reasons. The main reason that some dentists extract wisdom teeth is because of disease and decay. A root canal doesn’t seem logical for a wisdom tooth because the dentists don’t see it as a crucial tooth that needs to be saved. Most people and dentists see the wisdom tooth as an inconvenience. Therefore, a dentist may recommend and extraction rather than an expensive procedure that would save a tooth that is in the way. A cosmetic dentist may do several wisdom tooth extractions so that he or she can place braces in a patient’s mouth. The wisdom tooth extractions may fit the cosmetic dentist specialist’s intricate plan of getting the patient’s teeth back into normal alignment.
Preparing for Wisdom Teeth Removal
A wisdom teeth removal is a complex extraction that will most likely require the person to have at least 48 hours of recovery time from the job. The dentist will have to give the person an anesthetic. In some cases, the dentist may have to cut the gum. Impacted wisdom teeth almost always need to be cut and pulled from the gum. A patient should drink plenty of fluids and get a significant amount of rest before going in to get a wisdom tooth extraction. Water is the best drink for keeping oneself hydrated and healthy for an extraction.
The process of an extraction begins with the patient signing in. Next, a specialist will take X-rays and perform a physical exam. Next, the hygiene specialist will prepare the patient. The dentist will then come in and start numbing the patient. He or she will start the extraction after the numbing. The extraction can take 15 minutes or several hours depending on the stubbornness of the teeth in question. A wisdom tooth extraction will usually call for pain pills because the dentist will have to use force to separate them from the jaw. Most patients receive a note for two days from work.