Wisdom teeth are molars that develop at the back of the dental arches.There are two at the end of both the upper and lower rows of teeth.
Wisdom teeth typically emerge between the ages of 13 and 24.
These teeth emerge after most or all of a patient's adult teeth have fully developed, so there is often not enough space for the wisdom teeth to fit, which leads to wisdom teeth protruding, or only emerging partially, causing pain.
Need To Remove Wisdom Teeth?
Surf City Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery can help address wisdom tooth issues for adult and younger patients.
It is important to have impacted or infected wisdom teeth removed to relieve your jaw from discomfort and to prevent further oral complications.
Do I Need My Wisdom Teeth Extracted?
Not everyone needs to have wisdom teeth removal surgery, even if their wisdom teeth emerge at awkward angles.
It is usually only needed if the wisdom teeth are causing severe pain or compromising a patient's oral health.
This can be due to how the wisdom teeth have emerged, which might expose them to harmful bacteria, plaque, and tartar.
This leads to the risk of further complications, such as gum disease and tooth decay, which can spread throughout the mouth.
In rare cases, a partially emerged wisdom tooth can form a cyst, or an abscess, which is a pus-filled infection in the mouth around the wisdom tooth itself.
Even when this occurs, it is still possible for us to provide alternative treatment, such as antibiotic mouthwash, that can relieve issues related to the wisdom teeth.
Most dental professionals are in favor of removing wisdom teeth when necessary.
There can be risks of not removing your wisdom teeth.
When patients come to our oral surgery, discomforted from wisdom teeth pain, our team will perform an x-ray to assess and determine the most non-invasive treatment plan.
Find out how to know if you need your wisdom teeth removed.
What Happens During The Wisdom Tooth Extraction Procedure?
The whole procedure is done under local anesthetic, which in practice means no pain should be felt by the patient throughout the surgery.
Sometimes, our team will administer general anesthetic, but this is only usually done for children.
The time taken for this procedure is 20 to 60 minutes depending on how many impacted wisdom teeth there are and how difficult they are to remove.
Extraction Process
First, our oral surgeon will use an elevator, which is a small implement that gently rocks the tooth back and forth, to loosen its position with the socket.
The patient may feel some pressure during this, as they feel the gum slightly widen.
Then, our oral surgeon will gently pull the tooth with a pair of forceps to remove it.
On occasion, a gum incision may need to take place to allow the tooth to become looser within its socket, and in some cases it may have to be removed in parts.
This routine procedure rarely sees complications, and the ones that do emerge are usually mild.
Wisdom Tooth Removal Aftercare
The aftercare is a very important part of the treatment, as the patient must rest properly in order to allow their oral cavity to heal properly.
We will give instructions on post-procedure aftercare, and the patient should be able to return to their normal routine within 24-48 hours.
Pain should completely subside within 2-3 weeks. You can read more about the recovery process here.
Wisdom Teeth Extractions Huntington Beach CA
Our oral and maxillofacial surgeons at Surf City Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery want to help you alleviate your wisdom teeth pain and discomfort.
With our professionally-trained oral surgeons, our team can guarantee the most comfortable treatment possible.
Call us now at 657-384-2787 or contact us to schedule your appointment.