Your third set of molars or your wisdom teeth now officially need to be removed according to the dentist. The dentist will most likely refer you to an oral surgeon who can perform the extraction in their office after they have completed an initial exam during your first appointment. After three days, you should start to feel more like yourself and will be well underway in the healing process.
Why Take Them Out?
This set of molars is not essential to your oral health and they do not usually appear until the ages of 17 to 25. Sometimes, the dentist will see them on an x-ray before you will notice them starting to come through your gums. They are removed for a number of reasons and sometimes a combination of more than one reason.
1. Impaction – they can be stuck below the jaw bone causing pain
2. Improper Angle – sometimes these teeth are sideways in the jaw
3. Jaw Size – your mouth may not be large enough to accommodate another set of molars
4. Oral Health – they are difficult to brush and floss due to their location
5. Risk to Other Teeth – they can move your other teeth in order to erupt or push on roots of other teeth causing damage
6. Sinus Issues – the proximity of the upper wisdom teeth to the sinus cavities can cause pain, pressure and congestion
7. Gum Inflammation – gums on either side of the teeth may swell and are difficult to clean to prevent infection
8. Cavities – the swelling the gums leads to pockets between the teeth and the gum tissue where bacteria can grow
9. Bite Alignment – in order for the teeth to come in, the other teeth need to move and can throw off your previously balanced bite
Before Surgery
During your initial appointment with oral surgeon, you will learn about the specific details of your procedure. It is important to share any health issues you have with the surgeon as well as any medications you regularly take or are prescribed. Ask any questions you have about your surgery and address the specific kind of anesthesia you will have. When you schedule your surgery, be sure to consider any additional time off you may need to take from work, school, or any child or pet care you may need. Depending on the anesthesia used, you may need a ride home from the appointment.
During Surgery
From start to end, the procedure should take less than hour, most often it is 45 minutes or less. The surgeon will use either nitrous oxide to relax you, a local anesthetic to numb the area with an injection in addition to nitrous oxide, IV sedation to relax you in addition to numbing your mouth, or a general anesthetic to put you to sleep.
Depending on the location of your wisdom teeth, the oral surgeon may need to cut into your gums or your jaw bone to remove the teeth. Then you will have dis-solvable stitches to close the wounds. You may leave the office with gauze pads in your mouth.