Your brief and helpful guide on wisdom tooth removal

The last molars that come in or erupt on your jaw line are the wisdom teeth. These molars come in on each side of the jaws at the back. Usually a set of four wisdom teeth erupts in most people at one in each corner of the mouth. Usually these particular teeth erupt within the age range of 14 to 30 although many people do not have a single wisdom tooth in their mouth and that is also normal. Among those who experience eruption of wisdom teeth some of them face hardships with the coming in of the teeth. These problems may arise for different reasons including the jaws are too small to accommodate the newly erupted teeth or the jaws are already saturated or crowded with a complete set of 32 teeth.

It is interesting to mention that the majority of people only possess space to accommodate only 28 teeth in their mouth. Thus when the wisdom teeth pain start coming in there is no other option but to extract those teeth. As such the overall functioning and performance of the mouth are not affected when the wisdom teeth are removed.

Reasons for wisdom teeth removal

Different people have different reasons to extract their wisdom teeth. But usually people have to remove those or dentists recommend removing those because of the following reasons – to sort out a problem in hand or to avoid any upcoming problem down the timeline. Likely problems that may arise because of the erupted wisdom teeth are the following –

·        The jaw or jaws are not spacious enough to provide sufficient space to the wisdom teeth that are coming through. Thus there will be tremor in the gum line.

·        The wisdom teeth do not erupt properly or in proper position. As the wisdom teeth encroach on the other teeth nearby, cleaning the teeth and maintaining sound oral hygiene on everyday basis becomes challenging. Removal of wisdom tooth in London or anywhere else is common because of this reason. When the wisdom tooth or teeth are removed, it becomes easier for the individual in the long run to avoid tooth decay and gum disease.

·        One or more wisdom teeth may come in at awkward angle and because of these proper and thorough cleaning of the teeth becomes practically impossible. Harmful bacteria and food debris may easily get trapped along the gum line leading to localised infection like pericoronitis. In this condition the tissues around a wisdom tooth get affected.

Wisdom teeth removal – about the procedure 

Before proceeding on removing your wisdom tooth, your dentist administers a dosage of local anaesthesia at the site of extraction. This numbs the area so that you do not feel pain and discomfort. Sedation is also applied to patients who suffer from dental anxiety or feel nervous about sitting in a dentist’s chair.  

What you are likely to experience after removing the wisdom teeth

Both inflammation and swelling are likely to be there in the mouth and the cheek during the first few days following the extraction. Gradually these issues ease away but for the first two to three days you must be on guard expecting the worse suggests an emergency dentist who deals with wisdom tooth. In order to ensure your condition improves faster you should apply a cold compress to the site of extraction from outside the face several times a day. This way you can minimise the swelling and inflammation faster. Your dentist will prescribe anti inflammatory medicines to clear away the side effects faster.

Once the wisdom teeth are removed from their position in your jaw you may experience an unpleasant taste in your mouth consistently. Depending on the level of difficulty faced during extraction there could also be varying degree of pain in your mouth.

To close the empty socket in your jaw the dentist will use sutures which will dissolve in your mouth on their own. But if your dentist makes use of silk sutures then that must be removed by the dentist.

There is a severe risk in at least 1 out of every 10 cases involving wisdom teeth removal. The risk is of accidentally damaging the alveolar nerve although it depends on how closely it is located to the roots of a wisdom tooth. Modern dentistry makes use of good quality radiograph to assess the risk and then the necessary precautions are taken. When this nerve gets damaged it usually causes a temporary tingling and numbness in the tongue, chin and the lower lips. In rare cases damage of the alveolar nerve the affects are permanent, explains a dentist with years of experience in emergency extraction of the wisdom tooth.

As far as the wisdom teeth in your upper arches are concerned there remains a small risk of opening an oro antral communication into the maxillary sinus. This although depends on how closely the roots of the teeth are located to the sinus floor. If the problem is minor then it heals on its own in a spontaneous manner. However in certain cases it needs to be closed with sutures. There is also the additional risk of dislodging the tooth into the sinus and in that case it has o be retrieved from there.

Cost of wisdom teeth removal

 According to a dentist who provides the service of emergency removal of wisdom tooth in London, with a general dentist the cost of removing the wisdom teeth starts around £350. But when an oral surgeon is involved the cost goes up considerably to around £500. However the prices mentioned here are not uniform. The actual cost of the treatment varies from case to case depending upon factors like –

·        The level of difficulty faced in bringing a wisdom tooth out of the jaw line

·        How much time required to complete the entire procedure

·        The kind of expertise of the dental professional required

A personalised treatment plan is prepared and handed over to every patient before extracting the wisdom teeth.

Minimising your pain and discomfort following wisdom teeth extraction

·        In order to minimise the pain following extraction of a wisdom tooth or teeth you can take standard painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen. Just consult your dentist before taking any such medicine.

·        Do not drink anything hot, not ever lukewarm water and avoid spitting and rinsing after extraction of a wisdom tooth.

·        Strictly avoid smoking or any other form of tobacco consumption. Do not consume alcohol either.

·        Live on a soft diet for a few days and avoid any hard food during this period. Avoid chewing directly on the side of the mouth where the tooth extraction has taken place.

 If you follow these tips from Emergency Dentist London Pro above carefully, then securing pain relief after wisdom teeth removal is never difficult.