The Steps of Wisdom Teeth Removal
Before Surgery
Wisdom teeth are molars in the very back of your mouth that come in between the age of 17 and 21. If your dentist determines that your wisdom teeth are impacted--or unable to come in due to their placement or being stuck inside the jaw--the teeth will have to be removed. Another reason for wisdom teeth to be removed is if your mouth is too crowded with other teeth and there is no room for them to come in properly. Your dentist or orthodontist will take X-rays and send them to your oral surgeon. Together, they will make a decision to determine how soon your wisdom teeth need to come out.
The Surgical Procedure
Your wisdom teeth may be removed in the oral surgeon's office, usually with local or general anesthesia, depending on the severity of the surgery and how impacted the teeth are. The oral surgeon will remove the teeth by making an incision in the gum and dislodging the wisdom tooth from the jawbone, using a mallet or other dental tool if necessary. The tooth can often be removed whole, but sometimes needs to be broken up into smaller pieces and taken out piece by piece. The gums will then be stitched back up and cotton will be packed into the wounds and cheeks to promote blood clotting.
After Surgery
After surgery, you will most likely feel groggy and tired, especially if you were given general anesthesia. You will have trouble eating and drinking very hot and cold liquids, so stick to consuming room-temperature beverages and soft foods such as applesauce, cottage cheese and vitamin shakes like Ensure. As your mouth heals, you will be able to eat more and more food, including ice cream, soft pasta and soup. About a week after your surgery, your oral surgeon will schedule an appointment to check on your progress and remove your stitches. After your stitches are removed, your mouth may feel more tender for a few days. The normal healing time for wisdom tooth extraction is between one week and three weeks, depending on how impacted the teeth were.
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