Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Why have wisdom teeth removed?
Contrary to popular belief, wisdom teeth should not be systematically extracted. Indeed, it is possible not to remove wisdom teeth if they grow normally and if they do not create pain or complications.
Wisdom teeth can cause certain disorders and be the subject of preventive or curative extractions. Removing wisdom teeth may be necessary in particular in the following cases:
* When they are badly positioned: wisdom teeth can be included in the bone, wedged, or positioned horizontally.
* When they cause pain: wisdom teeth can create inflammation and cause infections. Pericoronitis, inflammation of the tissues surrounding the tooth, is the most common infectious complication. It occurs when the wisdom tooth is halfway out and bacteria can sneak between the gum and the tooth. Wisdom teeth can also lead to infections of adjacent teeth.
* When they cause dental caries: difficult to reach with the toothbrush, wisdom teeth are regularly affected by cavities. In order to deal with the risk of recurrence, the extraction of wisdom teeth can be considered.
In most cases, these complications concern the lower teeth, namely the wisdom teeth of the mandible. Wisdom teeth surgery can be done as a preventive measure. It is recommended to have your teeth examined regularly in order to prevent complications and to plan a wisdom tooth extraction at the most opportune time.
When to plan a wisdom tooth extraction?
To determine whether wisdom teeth surgery is required, it will be necessary to perform a clinical and radiological examination. The dental surgeon will determine if the wisdom teeth have adequate space to fully erupt and if they are subject to future problems. The specialist will determine if the wisdom teeth are impacted, semi-impacted or have completely erupted.
Semi-impacted or impacted wisdom teeth can also cause pain and infection problems. It is recommended to make an appointment with a dental surgeon in the event that the wisdom teeth show symptoms. It can be wisdom tooth pain, infections, cavities or damage to other teeth. The following symptoms in particular may alert patients:
* Pain and swelling in the jaw;
* Red and/or swollen gums;
* Pain in the wisdom teeth and around the wisdom teeth;
* An unpleasant taste in the mouth and bad breath.
Nevertheless, some impacted teeth may show no symptoms and be responsible for many complications. Performing a regular clinical and radiological examination is essential to determine the right time to plan a wisdom tooth extraction.
How is the extraction of wisdom teeth performed?
The extraction of wisdom teeth is a very common procedure that can be performed by a dental surgeon, orthodontist, maxillofacial surgeon or stomatologist. It can be done in a dental office, hospital or clinic, under local or ambulatory anesthesia. All four wisdom teeth can be extracted at once. If the patient shows signs of anxiety, a relaxing drug treatment may be offered.
What to do before extracting wisdom teeth?
Before the extraction of wisdom teeth, the dentist will carry out a preliminary examination. This will involve examining the position and formation of each of the wisdom teeth and studying the patient's joints and jaw. The dental surgeon, using a panoramic X-ray, will also look for the presence of cysts or other pathologies.
During this preoperative appointment, the details of the extraction of the wisdom teeth will be explained to the patient. This is the ideal time to ask all questions relating to the intervention and to confide any apprehensions.
How is wisdom teeth surgery performed?
The duration of wisdom teeth surgery varies depending on the number of teeth to be extracted and their arrangement. Two semi-impacted teeth will not take the same time to be removed as four impacted teeth. On a case-by-case basis, the dental surgeon will be able to tell the patient how long his intervention is likely to last.
In most cases, the removal of wisdom teeth is performed under local anesthesia. As the risks associated with the extraction are few, general anesthesia is only considered in exceptional cases. The dentist incises the gum if necessary, frees the gum, frees the jawbone to release the tooth, and performs the extraction of the wisdom tooth. Sometimes, the practitioner must surgically split the tooth in order to be able to extract it more easily and to limit the trauma. Throughout the procedure, the practitioner sucks up blood and other materials blocking the dental socket. Once the tooth has been extracted, the area will be properly cleaned and sanitized to limit the risk of infection.
To close the wound, the dentist performs absorbable sutures. These absorbable threads disappear spontaneously in less than three weeks. Rarely, absorbable sutures can cause irritation or cause infections. In this case, it is recommended to make an appointment with your surgeon in order to proceed manually with the removal.
Even if it is not pleasant, the removal of wisdom teeth does not hurt. However, the days following the operation of wisdom teeth can be subject to pain and discomfort. The pain of extracted wisdom teeth can last a few days but can be easily alleviated with painkillers prescribed by the practitioner.
