As the last teeth to emerge in the mouth, the wisdom teeth often do not have enough space to erupt. As a result, impacted wisdom teeth are quite common, but need to be removed in order to restore quality of life and prevent the development of decay and infection. At Dental 266 our experienced dentists are committed to offering you the highest level of dental care and comfort.
Why Do I Have Impacted Wisdom Teeth?
Essentially the wisdom teeth perform the job of being back-up molars – and this may have been helpful to us a few hundred years ago. Today though, thanks to the advances in modern dentistry most of us do not need to use our wisdom teeth.
If you haven’t lost any teeth in your upper or lower jaw it’s very likely that your jaw won’t have enough space to accommodate a full arch of teeth plus your wisdom teeth.
An impacted wisdom tooth can become impacted in different ways: vertically, angularly or horizontally. Either way the tooth can’t emerge from your gum fully and this can lead to the build up of bacteria, which ultimately causes an infection.
How Do I Know If I Have Impacted Wisdom Teeth?
Regular dental check ups are essential for young adults because your dentist can keep an eye on how your wisdom teeth are erupting. While your dentist monitors your wisdom teeth, you should also maintain your dental health by regular cleaning like brushing teeth and using your mouthwash. Your dentist will use x-rays to determine how your wisdom teeth are emerging but you may also experience some signs and side effects that there could be a problem, including
- Jaw pain
- A bad taste in your mouth
- Bad breath
- Redness or swelling of the gums around your wisdom teeth
How Much Does It Cost To Remove Impacted Wisdom Teeth?
Many patients dread this procedure because of the complications that can occur with wisdom teeth, but remember: everyone has wisdom teeth and most people have them removed. While tooth extractions may not be the most comfortable procedure, they are done often and the majority of procedures are done without complications.
With that in mind, though, the sooner you can get professional treatment, the simpler and more affordable your wisdom tooth extraction will be.
How Does The Wisdom Tooth Extraction Process Work?
Once your dentist has taken x rays and established the position of your wisdom teeth, local anaesthetic will be administered around your tooth, and into the surrounding gum.
If you have chosen to have a sedative, this will be administered next.
Once the area is numb to the touch, your dentist will make the incisions required to remove your impacted wisdom teeth. The position and complexity of your extraction will determine how long the procedure takes.
Sometimes stitches are required if a lot of incisions have been made. Your dentist will give you some gauze to bite down onto, to slow the bleeding, with instructions on how often to change it.
What Can You Expect After Surgery To Remove Impacted Wisdom Teeth?
Most patients find that any pain or discomfort after the extraction is mild and manageable. Any kind of pain or swelling that doesn’t improve with a painkiller or anti-inflammatory should be reported to your dentist for investigation.
You should also
- Avoid smoking for at least 24 hours after your procedure
- Only eat soft foods and don’t chew on the site where you had the tooth extracted
- Don’t use mouthwash or brush at the site of the extraction for at least 24-hours afterwards
- Don’t eat or drink very hot or cold foods or drink
- Do not drink with a straw
- Don’t touch the site with your tongue as this can dislodge the blood clot.
Brushing, rinsing or drinking hot beverages in the first 24 hours could dislodge the protective blood clot that forms at the site of the extracted tooth. This causes a very painful condition called dry socket, whereby the jaw bone and nerves and are exposed. It is very important that you follow your dentist’s post-treatment care guide, to minimise your chances of this happening.
Do you need help with impacted wisdom teeth? It’s best to get treatment as soon as possible. Please contact our practice for the soonest available appointment: 02 9051 0600.