Prepping Yourself for Wisdom Teeth Removal
Have you removed your wisdom teeth yet? A visit to Dentist Gosford Care may be what you need to listen to the opinion of a qualified dentist with regards to your wisdom teeth.
If your dentist gives the go ahead to have your wisdom teeth removed, then you would be scheduled for an extraction by our experienced team of oral surgeons.
The procedure is simple, routine, painless and quick. In just a couple of days, you should feel much better and be back to your old self again.
What are Wisdom Teeth?
First of all, you should know that wisdom teeth normally appear in adults from the ages of between 17 and 25 years. These teeth are molars (a third set) which erupt at the back end of the mouth.
You can feel your wisdom teeth with your fingers or if this is not yet possible, you may need to have x-rays in order to see them.
But why do you need to remove your wisdom teeth?
Well, here are some reasons to consider.
When they are Impacted:
Just like your normal teeth, wisdom teeth may also be impacted. It is possible that because of where they are usually located (at the back end of your mouth), your wisdom teeth may not erupt from your gum normally.
When this happens, the wisdom teeth may be trapped in your gums or even jaw bone causing you to feel agonizing pain. To ease the pain and discomfort, it would be necessary to extract the wisdom teeth.
When they erupt at awkward Angles:
Wisdom teeth may erupt through the gums at awkward angles in some people. In some cases, the wisdom teeth may push up on the other regular teeth.
The truth is, the jaw does not have enough room for another set of molars and the mouth itself is really not large enough to accommodate extra molars. So for this reason, it is advisable to remove your wisdom teeth.
Tooth Decay:
The location of wisdom teeth can make it difficult to practice proper oral hygiene. When brushing, your toothbrush may not be able to get to your wisdom teeth.
This can increase the risk of cavities, decay, and gum disease. To avoid a severe tooth infection and a possible spread of the infection, it is necessary to remove wisdom teeth.
What happens before a Wisdom Teeth Removal
Before you have your wisdom teeth removed, you will be scheduled to meet with an oral surgeon who will talk you through the procedure.
You will be asked some questions, such as;
– regarding your present state of health,
– allergies,
– habits like drinking and smoking, and
– the type of medication you are currently on.
These set of questions are necessary as the oral surgeon wants to establish your tolerance and level of resistance or otherwise to the anesthetic that would be administered during the surgery.
On average, the removal of your wisdom teeth would take about 45 minutes. It could be done in a lesser time, but 45 minutes is just about right. The anesthetic administered may be local, such as; mepivicaine, lidocaine, or novocaine.
It is also possible that laughing g gas or nitrous oxide is administered to help you relax during surgery. Alternatively, you may be given either a General or IV anesthetic.
Once the surgery is concluded, you would be expected to do some home care in addition to the scheduled visits to your dentist. It is expected that for about three days you will notice a swelling around the site of the surgery, this may cause some discomfort, but it is perfectly normal. It may be up to a couple of weeks before you are totally healed from the surgery.