Wisdom teeth can cause you serious problems, especially if they are impacted. If your dentist or oral surgeon recommends you have your wisdom teeth removed, you’d do well to heed their advice.
But what should you expect when you get your wisdom teeth out? Good question! Read on.
Why Should You Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?
Wisdom teeth are your third set of molars, located in the back of your mouth. They emerge for most people between the ages of 17 and 25. If impacted and not coming in normally because they are so far back in your mouth, they can cause serious problems. You’ll also have issues if your wisdom teeth are coming in at the wrong angle. Your mouth might not be big enough for your wisdom teeth. They may also develop cavities and lead to gum disease.
These are the very reasons we often recommend wisdom teeth removal.
Before Your Surgery
First, you’ll meet with your oral surgeon. We’ll go over any health problems you might have as well as any medication you might be taking. Feel free to ask us any questions about the procedure. It may help to read up on wisdom teeth removal so you know what to ask.
We’ll also discuss anesthesia options. Dr. Puckett is an oral surgeon fully certified in all options of sedation dentistry, so it really is up to you. The important thing is we want you to feel comfortable.
Having Your Wisdom Teeth Out — What to Expect
The actual surgery takes about 45 minutes. It’s not a long procedure. But the recovery can take a while.
Depending on what type of sedation dentistry you prefer, you may be completely out for the surgery or just relaxed and numb. Either way, you shouldn’t feel a thing. If you do feel any discomfort, let us know. We can adjust the level of anesthesia so you feel no pain.
Once you are feeling no pain, we’ll use surgical tools to cut your gums and remove your wisdom teeth. We’ll then stitch the wounds back together so you heal quickly. We’ll likely give you gauze to suck on in order to soak up the blood.
Aftercare Wisdom Teeth Removal
The actual surgery for wisdom teeth is no big deal. You might not even remember it. The after care, however, will take some time. Give yourself plenty of rest.
You’ll probably feel groggy after surgery, depending on your level of sedation. Someone will need to drive you home, especially if you are coming from Columbus, Cincinnati, or Dayton.
Yep, you’ll feel some pain. There’s no way around it. The actual amount of pain can vary according to your pain threshold and how much pain medication you take. You’ll want to take some time off school or work to recover. Get yourself a nice couch and some Netflix. You’ll need to rest easy.
We’d recommend taking pain medication before the pain hits you. The pain meds will take some time to take effect, so don’t wait until the pain is excruciating. Try to plan ahead an hour or so down the line.
There will be some bleeding — especially after the first day. You’ll want to avoid spitting as much as possible. You don’t want to dislodge the blood clot from the socket where your tooth used to be. Replace the gauze over the socket often.