Oral Surgery, Wisdom Teeth
What are "wisdom teeth"?
Wisdom teeth are actually the third molars and they come in about age 18. Many years ago, when people didn't live as long as they did today, at 18 you were considered to be finally wise. That's why they are called wisdom teeth, because that's when you finally attain your wisdom.
When do wisdom teeth erupt?
Wisdom teeth come in right around eighteen years of age, but it will vary from individual to individual. Many people do not ever have their wisdom teeth come in. By coming in I mean, come above the surface of the gums. Sometimes the wisdom teeth are stuck below. And some people do not even have wisdom teeth.
Are wisdom teeth painful?
You can have pain associated with your wisdom teeth if there's not enough room in your mouth for the wisdom teeth to come in. Either the wisdom teeth can be locked underneath the tooth, in front of it, or the jawbone behind. Or your wisdom teeth can even be stuck halfway up and halfway out, covered by a portion of the gum. When this happens, food can get underneath this half of the gum and cause irritation and swelling that causes pain. So the wisdom teeth themselves are not painful, but the circumstances of where they are and how much room they have can cause pain.
What can I do to ease the pain of my wisdom teeth?
If your wisdom teeth are uncomfortable because of the tissue around them, you can bathe the area with hot water to wash out whatever's caught underneath them. That's about all you can do. If you have an impacted wisdom tooth, you can take medication for the pain, but it's going to be very transitory, and the only way to really eliminate the problem is to have the wisdom tooth removed.
How will my oral surgeon determine if my wisdom teeth need to be removed?
Your dentist will determine whether or not your wisdom teeth are going to cause a problem in the future. If you have enough room for your wisdom teeth, he may decide it's just as well to let the wisdom teeth come in. For instance, if you've had orthodontia and had some teeth removed so that all the teeth moved forward, there may be plenty of room for your wisdom teeth. If the dentist determines, however, that your wisdom teeth are impacted either in the bone or in the soft tissue, he may advise you to have that wisdom tooth removed to avoid future problems.
How will my oral surgeon remove my wisdom teeth?
Depending upon the situation with your wisdom teeth, the oral surgeon will remove them in any one of several ways. If there's plenty of room around the wisdom tooth, he may just take the wisdom tooth out. If it's impacted in the bone, he'll have to remove the bone around it in order to get to the wisdom tooth. The oral surgeon will have to make an incision in the gum to expose this area and remove some bone. Sometimes he will section the wisdom tooth to take it out in pieces, so it will cause less disruption to the bone to take the tooth out. Every wisdom tooth case is different. Your oral surgeon will discuss with you what he is going to do and why.
Will it hurt to have my wisdom teeth removed?
It will not hurt to have your wisdom teeth removed because you are going to be numb, but afterwards may be a very different situation. If any bone needs to be removed you are going to have swelling and pain after the surgery to remove your wisdom teeth. The oral surgeon will put you on medication to make sure the pain is alleviated as much as possible. But you still will have swelling and have to eat a softer diet for a while, usually about a week. You will also have stitches that need to be monitored and taken out later. So, in summary, you will not have any pain during the procedure to remove your wisdom teeth, but very often you are going to be uncomfortable afterwards.
How long will it take to recover after having my wisdom teeth removed?
It's going to take varied amounts of time to recover from the removal of your wisdom teeth, depending upon the situation with your individual wisdom teeth. If the teeth are just in the tissue then the recovery time is going to be very short, just the same as an extraction of any other tooth. If the wisdom tooth is impacted, below the tooth, in front of it, or down in the bone, it's going to take longer to recover because there's going to be swelling after the bone is removed. Medication can help to limit the swelling and the pain, but there will be a varied amount of time for recovery. No one can say for sure how long it's going to take, because every situation is different and every patient is different. Also, you may find that if you have wisdom teeth on either side removed at the same time, that each side is a little bit different. Indeed even though you're the same person, the situation is again a little bit different.
How can I help the pain after having my wisdom teeth removed?
In order to alleviate the pain after having your wisdom teeth removed, you're going to have to follow the oral surgeon's recommendations, and they will include medication and rinsing, and soft diet, but it will vary from individual to individual, and the best thing to do to alleviate pain after having wisdom teeth removed is to follow the instructions to the letter.
