One of the most common questions we receive in the clinic is – is it really necessary to remove wisdom teeth? Our answer – YES. And they get sad or frustrated because they don’t want to undergo extraction or surgery. But, reality bites! We face this hard truth or we deal with the worst dental issues for life.
Wisdom teeth or third molars often come in painfully, fast and can potentially cause several problems if not removed. Undergoing this procedure can help you protect your smile!
Wisdom teeth grow in between the ages of 17-25. It’s always better to have wisdom teeth removal at an early age so that procedure is easier and faster. Knowing whether your wisdom teeth are already erupting is different from patient to patient. Some patients do not notice that their wisdom teeth are erupting, some do.
Why do we recommend to have wisdom teeth extracted?
- Avoid discomfort, pain and infection – especially when third molars are impacted
- Avoid stiffness in jaw and swollen gums –
- Avoid getting cavities – you cannot reach and clean the area, hence bacteria build up result to cavities
- Avoid getting cysts – can potentially damage the roots of nearby teeth or destroy the bone that supports your teeth.
- Avoid difficulty in eating and sinus issues
- Avoid teeth crowding – usually happens when third molars erupt at a wrong angle, pressing the other teeth which causes crowding
So don’t wait for the time you face the signs/symptoms above. It will just get worse!
Here are some of the panoramic xrays of our patients who underwent the procedure (Note: these wisdom teeth have already been removed). The wisdom teeth are the ones at the far end of each side.
During Surgery?
- Blood pressure is taken (once BP is good, proceed with next step)
- Anesthestia is to be administered (local or conscious IV sedation)
- Procedure time is normally around an hour (time varies depending on the severity of the case)
- Suture the surgical area
After surgery?
- We let our patients rest and relax for a while – ice pack is given to be placed on the face, on top of the area done
- Ice cream is served!
- Post operative instructions are given
*Anesthesia effect normally wears of after 2 hours*
Recovery?
Most patients feel better and fully recover from wisdom teeth surgery in three days. Symptoms should be greatly improved by then. But again, different body, different healing time.
We advise our patients to see us after 10 days so that we can check the case. The wound will be completely healed after a month so infection may still develop if you do not take care of yourself and follow our post-op instructions
Some swelling, pain, and bleeding is normal after wisdom teeth removal. Call your dentist immediately if the pain or bleeding is too much.
You can eat very soft foods after surgery, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and smoking is advised.
Before doing any dental procedure we want to first assess and check the oral condition of the patient as well as ask medical history. We also get xrays to check position/location of the wisdom teeth. We also advise our patient if removal of wisdom teeth is still needed or not (for his or her case),
We do inform and educate our patients of what to do before procedure, what to expect during the procedure and explain post-operative instructions too after surgery for good recovery.
Certified oral surgeons are the only ones who can execute this procedure. Our professional team will make sure patient is comfortable and everything will go smooth and pain free as possible.
Don’t wait until all the symptoms arise, if you feel you need to have your wisdom teeth removed or just want to know more about it – you may reach us at 09178724929 or email us at admin@apostoldental.com
Oral surgery might be terrifying but we always make it a point to make it fun or comfortable for you! Check out some of the photos we have with our patients 🙂
So… is wisdom teeth removal necessary? YES! But first things first, come and visit us so that we can advise you the right treatment plan for your case!
