What are wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth typically develop in the mouth in early adulthood and are classified as the third molars. While everyone generally has wisdom teeth, one or more may be absent in some individuals. Additionally, their development may or may not cause complications and varies greatly from patient to patient. There are a number of reasons why a patient may require wisdom teeth extraction. Often, these teeth can be impacted (abnormal or impairment in growth). This can lead to pain, shifting teeth, tooth decay, chewing impairment and other complications.
What is the extraction process like?
Most of the extractions in our clinic are done with our associate Dr. Richard Wohl. When you come in for your appointment, an anesthetic is administered to ensure your comfort. We have optional comfort options for patients who are feeling anxious, such as laughing gas and general anesthesia that can be administered upon request when scheduling your appointment. During the extraction, most patients experience some sensations of pressure and rocking of teeth, but report little pain and treatment is usually finished in less than thirty minutes. The entire procedure can be generally summarized below.
- General preparations are performed such as the administration of anesthetic
- Small incision is made in the gum tissue to expose both tooth and surrounding bone
- The tooth is either taken out in sections or as a whole
- The extraction site(s) are cleaned of any remaining bone or tooth fragments
- Stitches may be applied to the wound to help reduce bleeding and promote healing
- Medical gauze is placed over the wound to promote the formation of a blood clot
What happens after the extraction?
Bleeding is fairly common and typically lasts for an hour or two after the appointment. To deal with this, special instructions are given by the Dr. Richard Wohl and usually involve moist gauze being held over the empty tooth socket while biting down on it. In some patients, bleeding may be a little more prolonged as blood clots form more slowly in the empty socket. It is essential that the blood clots remain undisturbed. In your instruction booklet there are tips on how to avoid this.
When to call us following wisdom teeth extraction:
- If you develop a fever, severe pain or swelling
- Have difficulty swallowing or breathing
- Experience excessive bleeding