Do you need wisdom tooth extraction in Raleigh or Zebulon, NC? You have four permanent teeth known as wisdom teeth in the back of the mouth. Also referred to as “third molars,” these are the last permanent teeth to appear. However, you may not have enough space in the mouth for the teeth to grow. As a result, they become impacted.
An impacted wisdom tooth can cause serious health issues. It can damage other teeth, and lead to cysts, gum disease, and even benign tumors. Impacted wisdom teeth can also be extremely painful.
If one of our dentists feels you need to have your wisdom teeth removed, we will recommend oral surgery to extract them. While we often recommend extraction when you are experiencing pain, we may also recommend wisdom teeth removal in Raleigh or Zebulon, NC, even if the teeth aren’t causing problems. We do this to prevent future issues.
Wisdom teeth removal is a safe and common outpatient procedure. With proper care, you should not be too uncomfortable during wisdom teeth recovery. Please address any concerns you have ahead of time. Our Tryon Family Dentistry team will be able to reassure you and answer any questions you might have.
Why Wisdom Teeth Might Need to Be Removed?
Wisdom teeth don’t typically erupt before you turn 17. Most people have wisdom teeth by 25, but some people never get them. Certain people get wisdom teeth and never have problems. Oral surgery is the remedy if you have impacted wisdom teeth.
Impacted wisdom teeth become a problem when your teeth fail to develop normally or the mouth lacks room for the teeth. The teeth may never erupt or come partially through the gums. When they do, problems often arise.
An impacted wisdom tooth might come in at an angle. This angle varies by person. Some individuals have wisdom teeth that grow toward the neighboring tooth or back of the mouth. Other people find their wisdom tooth is growing perpendicular to the other teeth in their mouth and that it lies flat in the jawbone.
For certain patients, the tooth grows straight but never pushes through the gum. It remains trapped in the jawbone. Our dentists will know how to handle each type of impaction.
Complications of Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Impacted wisdom teeth can lead to complications. Many people feel pain. Food and debris may become trapped behind the tooth and lead to periodontal disease or an infection, as mentioned above. The tooth may also partially erupt and decay.
One or more impacted wisdom teeth may also interfere with orthodontic treatments. Our dentists can let you know if this is a concern. An orthodontist might also recommend having your wisdom teeth removed if they believe there will be issues with the orthodontic treatment.
Preventative Extraction of Wisdom Teeth
Our dentists at Tryon Family Dentistry might recommend wisdom teeth removal in Raleigh, NC, even when your teeth aren’t causing issues. There remains some disagreement regarding the value of doing so. Proponents provide several reasons for making this recommendation.
For one, wisdom teeth may harbor disease, even when you aren’t experiencing symptoms. If the wisdom tooth is crowding other teeth, you may develop oral health issues.
Younger adults have fewer serious complications following wisdom tooth extraction. Older adults might have difficulty with oral surgery and more complications once it is complete. Our dentists will consider your age when recommending this procedure.
The Risk of Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Every surgery comes with risks, but most people experience no long-term complications from wisdom teeth removal in Raleigh, NC. It may be necessary to make an incision in the gum tissue and remove bone to extract the tooth. While this increases the risk of complications, proper aftercare will help you avoid any issues.
Dry socket is a condition where the surgical blood clot comes loose and exposes the bone at the surgical wound or socket. This condition comes with extreme pain. The socket may also become infected after exposure to bacteria or trapped food particles.
Our dentists are highly skilled in wisdom tooth extractions and will take all necessary steps to help you avoid any complications. The adjoining teeth, jawbone, sinuses, or nerves may sustain damage at the hands of an inexperienced professional. That’s why it’s important to work with experienced dentists skilled at wisdom teeth extractions similar to yours.
Before Wisdom Tooth Removal Surgery
Before your tooth extraction procedure, you will meet with Tryon Family Dentistry to discuss any questions you have about tooth extraction and wisdom teeth recovery. We’ll discuss any medications you take and go over your health history. You’ll then schedule an appointment for your wisdom teeth removal.
Typically, wisdom teeth removal takes about 45 minutes. The tooth extraction is not painful because you will be under the influence of anesthesia. You might be able to choose between general, oral sedation or IV sedation. Or our team will recommend the best option for your procedure. Either way, you will be numb or asleep during the entire wisdom teeth removal process.
Once the medication kicks in, our team will use dental surgical tools to cut your gums to remove the wisdom teeth. Our TFD doctors will stitch the wounds shut so your gums can heal quickly. These stitches dissolve on their own after a few days. So, you won’t need to come back to have your stitches removed.
Our TFD team will then reduce the medication so you can become alert again.
Aftercare
You will feel a little groggy after your tooth extraction surgery. You can expect some swelling and pain and a little blood in your mouth. Your Tryon Family Dentistry doctor will advise you on how to treat the pain. It could be with prescription painkillers or over-the-counter medicine.
Once you feel ready, you will be able to go home. You can’t drive for a certain amount of time after general anesthesia so you will need a ride home.
For the rest of the day, you will need to take it easy. You will probably spend the rest of the day sleeping or resting on your bed or a couch.
Wisdom Teeth Recovery
You must take care of your mouth when you get home to avoid infection or any complications. Follow the instructions of our team exactly.
Our team may tell you to rinse your mouth with salt water. If so, do not spit. Just let the water trickle out of your mouth into the sink. The dentist will give you lots of gauzes to take home. Feel free to change your gauze as often as you need. The gauze will absorb excess blood.
You should be able to resume your regular activities two or three days after wisdom teeth removal.
Manage Your Pain
Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection. He or she will tell you how often to take pain relief medicine and for how long. Take the pain medication on time to avoid feeling unnecessary pain.
What to Eat After Removal
You can eat right away after your wisdom teeth removal. But you might not have much of an appetite right after your tooth extractions. For the first few days of wisdom teeth recovery, you should eat soft foods that do not need you to chew. You also need to be careful not to disrupt your stitches when eating. Start with soft foods such as pudding, applesauce, broth, smoothies, and milkshakes. Remember, staying well hydrated is crucial for your recovery. Make sure you avoid eating foods that are very hot. These could burn your tender gums at the site of the tooth extractions. Also don’t eat any nuts, seeds or hard, crunchy foods that can get stuck in the holes where your wisdom teeth were. Do not drink from a straw as this can dislodge your newly formed blood clots. Slowly begin eating heartier food as you feel up to it.
Making a Full Recovery
Most people fully recover from your wisdom tooth extraction after three or four days. But, if you had an impacted wisdom tooth, your recovery could be as long as a week. Yet, the pain and swelling should be much improved by the third day.
Though your surgical wounds will take months to fully heal, you should be able to resume normal activities after a day or so. You should avoid smoking, heavy exercise, and drinking from a straw for a while yet.
You can develop an infection even weeks or months after wisdom tooth removal. Make sure to make your oral hygiene a top priority.
If you develop excessive bleeding, unbearable pain, fever, more and more swelling, numbness or blood or pus coming out of your nose, contact your doctor immediately. Complications such as these could mean you have nerve damage or an infection.
Our team at Tryon Family Dentistry is dedicated to providing patient-centered dental care. If you need wisdom teeth removal, contact us online or call (919) 626-8292 in Raleigh or (919) 759-5732 in Zebulon. We look forward to providing you with the personalized attention you deserve!
