Wisdom Teeth
Normally, Wisdom Teeth grow through the gums during the late teens or the early twenties. By this time, your other 28 adult teeth are normally in place, which leaves very little space for Wisdom Teeth to grow properly.
Due to the lack of space, Wisdom Teeth can sometimes emerge at an angle and can get stuck and only emerge partially. In such cases, a removal maybe necessary.
Why Would It Be Necessary For Me To Remove My Wisdom Teeth?
In some cases, food and bacteria can get trapped around the edge of the Wisdom Tooth which can cause a build up plaque. This build up can subsequently lead to tooth decay, gum disease, infection and other problems.
Do Wisdom Teeth Always Cause Problems?
No.
If there is enough space in your mouth, Wisdom Teeth will usually come through into a practical position and cause no more problems than any of your other teeth.
It is inevitable that there will be a slight discomfort whilst the Wisdom Tooth is coming through but this discomfort is only temporary and vanishes once the tooth is fully positioned.
Is There Anything I Can Do To Help Relieve The Discomfort Of My Wisdom Tooth?
You are able to create a mouthwash of medium hot water with a teaspoon of salt. This will help reduce gum soreness and inflammation. What you’ll have to do is move the salt water around the required tooth and try to get into areas that your toothbrush can’t reach.
This should help to relieve the discomfort of your Wisdom Teeth.
How Are Wisdom Teeth Removed?
The procedure of the removal is the same as a surgical extraction.
The Removal Procedure
Before the extraction, your Dentist will take an X-Ray of your wisdom teeth to help determine whether or not the tooth needs to be removed.
You will then be given a local anaesthetic to numb the area of the tooth*
To remove the wisdom tooth, your dentist will open up the gum tissue and take out any bone that is covering the Wisdom Tooth. They will then separate the tissue that is connected to the tooth and to the bone and will remove the tooth.
Sometimes, Dentists opt to cut the tooth in to smaller pieces to make it easier to remove.
* a general anaesthetic may be used, especially if several or all of your wisdom teeth will be removed at the same time
What To Expect After The Removal Procedure.
The amount of discomfort will depend on how easy the removal of the Wisdom Tooth was.
Once your Wisdom Tooth has been removed, you may experience some swelling and discomfort, both on the inside and outside of your mouth.
The pain is usually worse in the first couple of days and can last up to two weeks.
There is a possibility that your jaw may be stiff and sore and your face may even become slightly bruised. However the bruising will begin to disappear, although it may take around two whole weeks to completely fade.
Will The Removal Of My Wisdom Teeth Make A Difference To My Mouth?
The removal of Wisdom Teeth may cause some swelling for a few days. As soon as the area is healed, there’ll be no difference to your overall facial appearance.
Your mouth will then start to feel more comfortable and less crowded.
