Your “wisdom teeth” are the third set of molars that appear in your mouth when you reach your late teens or early twenties. These teeth are often problematic because there is not adequate room in your mouth for them to grow in. When this happens, your dentist may suggest a removal procedure, also called extraction, to ensure that they don’t cause further problems down the road. Dr. Jameela Jifri and her team at Scott and Derry Dental Care in Milton, ON are experienced in comfortably and effectively removing wisdom teeth.

Types of problems wisdom teeth can cause

The main reason that wisdom teeth become problematic is that there is not enough room for the teeth in your mouth by the time they begin to grow in. Other “adult” teeth start growing in when you are only five to seven years old, and their development process is complete by the time you reach high school. By the time the wisdom teeth start erupting in high school or college, the other teeth take up all of the available space in the mouth and there is nowhere for this third set of molars to grow in.

When this happens, the following types of issues can occur:

• The wisdom teeth grow in at unnatural angles, causing problems for your bite or tooth surfaces
• The teeth nearby become crowded or crooked
• The jaw cannot move properly
• All or part of the tooth develops beneath the gumline, also called impaction, which can injure all of the structures surrounding the tooth such as the muscles, bone, tooth root, and nerves

Other complications can occur due to inadequate space for wisdom teeth. These include sinus problems, inflammation of the gums, tooth decay or infections, cysts, fractured teeth, and other damage to the teeth. As a result, it is often important to remove the wisdom teeth before they cause intense pain or permanent damage.

Overview of the wisdom teeth removal procedure

Depending on what your dentist recommends, anywhere from one to all four of the wisdom teeth may be removed at the same time. Many wisdom tooth removals can be done in the dental office, but in cases where the teeth are deeply impacted, you may need to see an oral surgeon.

The dentist will numb the area where the tooth will be removed using a local anesthetic, and if you are nervous or have anxiety about the procedure, your dentist may provide you with a sedative, so you are more comfortable. If a more intensive surgical procedure needs to be done to remove the teeth, a general anesthetic may be used, which causes you to be unconscious during the entire procedure.

Then, your dentist or oral surgeon will expose the tooth by making a cut into the gums if needed, remove the affected tooth, clean around the removed tooth to ensure that any tooth, bone, or other debris is removed, and stitch the area shut. Gauze will then be placed over the site where the tooth was removed to help stop the bleeding.

What to expect after the extraction

Your dentist will inform you prior to the procedure about whether you will need someone else to drive you home afterward and how to take care of the areas where the teeth were removed. The dentist or oral surgeon will also advise you on what types of foods and beverages to eat immediately after the surgery to protect your mouth and minimize pain.

After the wisdom teeth have been extracted, you may experience some oozing, bleeding, swelling, or bruising. The areas where the teeth were removed may be painful. Your dentist may prescribe prescription pain medication if over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol or ibuprofen are not sufficient to manage the pain. You may have stitches that dissolve on their own, or you might need to return to the dentist at a later date to have the stitches removed.

Determining whether your wisdom teeth need to be removed

Dr. Jameela Jifri can conduct a thorough visual examination of your mouth and use the latest imaging technology to determine if the wisdom teeth are likely to cause you problems in the future. Sometimes the teeth may already be causing pain or damage, in which case the extraction should occur as soon as possible. In other cases, you may not be experiencing pain in the teeth yet, but Dr. Jifri may recommend that they are removed as a preventative measure due to the way they are developing or the likelihood that they will cause issues.

If your dental team does not think the teeth need to be removed, they will monitor their development at regular hygiene visits to make sure that the teeth stay healthy and do not become impacted or cause problems for the surrounding teeth and gums.

Ensure that you or your child’s wisdom teeth and mouth remain healthy well into adulthood. Call Dr. Jameela

Jifri in Milton, ON at (855) 438-4999 today to schedule a consultation!

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