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Wisdom teeth, or third molars,
are the final teeth to develop. Most of us have four wisdom
teeth, one in each corner of the mouth. They usually emerge
during our late teens or early twenties.
Often times, wisdom teeth become
trapped or impacted in the jawbone, or simply fail to erupt.
This can cause crowding or displacement of other teeth, or lead
to the development of localized tooth decay, infection, or gum
disease. Impacted wisdom teeth are set in the jawbone in unusual
positions, sometimes horizontally, which stops them from
erupting in a normal way.
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Angular, bony impaction
of third molar (wisdom tooth). |
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Soft tissue impaction
of third molar (wisdom tooth). |
In most cases, it is
recommended that impacted wisdom teeth be extracted. Depending
on the position of the tooth, third molar or wisdom tooth
removal can be performed in your dentist's office, at an
outpatient surgical facility, or in a hospital. |
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TYPICAL
PROCEDURE
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Incision is made
and overlying bone is removed, exposing crown of impacted
tooth. |
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Tooth is extracted whole
or surgically sectioned. The site is sutured closed. |
To ease any discomfort and
promote healing:
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Use ice packs on the cheek for swelling, alternating on and
off every thirty minutes. |
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Apply biting pressure with clean gauze to stop bleeding. |
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Eat soft foods and drink extra liquids.
Avoid hard or crunchy foods in
the tender area. |
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Brush carefully the day after surgery. |
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Take prescribed medications and follow all instructions as
directed. |
Call your dentist or physician
immediately in case of excessive bleeding or swelling,
persistent, severe pain or fever. |
