Wisdom Teeth

Indications for Wisdom Teeth Removal

• Pain and swelling
• Gum disease
  • A partially impacted wisdom tooth can allow food and bacteria to get trapped under the gum flap.
  • This can cause infections to gums, supporting bones and nearby teeth.
• Crowding
  • An impacted or erupting wisdom tooth can push on adjacent teeth, causing them to become crooked.
• Decay
  • A wisdom tooth that is hard to clean due to its position may collect cavity-causing bacteria.  This could also affect the tooth next to it.
• Poor Position
  • A wisdom tooth that grows towards the cheek can irritate nearby tissue.
• Cyst
  • If the sac that holds the crown remains in the bone, it can fill with a fluid, forming a cyst that can destroy surrounding bone.

Risk and Complications of Wisdom Teeth Removal

• Numbness
• Occasionally nerves are injured when the tooth is removed, causing numbness and tingling.
• If this happens, the nerve usually repairs and regenerates itself over time.
• Dry Socket
  • Healing is delayed if the blood clot covering the socket dissolves or is washed away.  This exposed bone may lead to constant, deep, throbbing pain.  A special dressing placed in the socket is used to treat this problem.
• Infection
  • Infection is less common to happen.  Draining the infection or antibiotics can treat it.
• Sinus Problems
  • Because the upper wisdom teeth are near the sinus cavity, the removal of these teeth can open the sinus cavity on rare occasions.  It usually heals, but if not, may need further treatment.
• Weakening of the Jaw
  • In rare cases, removal of an impacted tooth can weaken the jaw, making it more susceptible to fracture.

Your surgery may be done in your dentist’s or oral surgeon’s office, an outpatient surgical center, or occasionally in a hospital.  The surgical method depends on whether your wisdom teeth are erupted or impacted and how deep the roots are.  To help the surgery go smoothly, follow your dentist’s or oral surgeon’s instructions on how to prepare for surgery.  This may also include directions for taking medications.

Healing Tips:  Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

• Do apply pressure to stop the bleeding by placing the gauze directly over the extraction site.

• Do apply ice packs to your face to reduce swelling the day of surgery.

• Do eat soft foods, such as soups, pasta and blenderized meals after the bleeding stops.

• Do drink lots of fluids after the bleeding stops.

• Do take antibiotics or pain medications as prescribed by your doctor.

• Do keep you mouth as clean as possible.

Don’ts

• Don’t chew hard or “crunchy” foods for approximately 2 weeks.

• Don’t brush the teeth in the area of surgery until the day after surgery.

• Don’t rinse your mouth, drink through a straw or spit out forcefully the day of surgery.  This could loosen or dislodge the blood clot.

• Don’t overexert yourself.

Don’t use alcohol or tobacco products the day of surgery or during the healing process.

Please call your dentist or oral surgeon if the following persist:

The following could be potential emergencies that may need immediate attention.

• Excessive bleeding or trouble swallowing
• Persistent or recurrent swelling
• Persistent and severe pain
• Fever
• Adverse reaction to medications

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