Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Wisdom teeth are a third set of molars in the back of your mouth. They usually develop between the ages of 17 and 25, and they can be spotted on X-rays/ Panoramic Image

Wisdom tooth extraction is a surgical procedure to remove one or more wisdom teeth — the four permanent teeth located at the back corners of your mouth on the top and on the bottom.

Most people have them removed for one of these reasons:

• They’re impacted. Because they’re so far back in your mouth, wisdom teeth may not come in normally. They can be trapped in your jawbone or gums, which can be painful.
• They come in at the wrong angle. They may press against your other teeth.
• Your mouth isn’t big enough. Your jaw has no room for an extra set of molars.
• You have cavities or gum disease. You may not be able to reach your wisdom teeth with your toothbrush or dental floss.

Wisdom tooth extraction can be simple or surgical.

Non Impacted wisdom teeth removal — performed when the tooth is visible in the mouth and it has the regular position of the roots.

However, most wisdom tooth extractions are surgical. Our dental professionals at Affordable Dentistry of South Florida can do all types of wisdom tooth extractions:

• Soft tissue impact removal.
• Partial bony impact removal.
• Complete or full bony impact removal.

Full-Bony Impacted type of wisdom tooth is the most difficult because the wisdom tooth is completely stuck in the jaw.

You are not going to feel any pain as your wisdom teeth are removed because the area will be numb.  Here at the Affordable Dentistry of South Florida, we are using local anesthesia, so the area of the surgery will be totally numb. Even after having the tooth pulled that area will be numb for a couple of hours.

It is very important to follow the dentist`s recommendation after having your wisdom tooth pulled to make sure of the proper healing process.

After the Surgery

After wisdom extraction surgery at the Affordable Dentistry of South Florida dental clinic, you will be able to drive home to begin your recovery. You might even be able to go back to work or do your normal activities.

Most people have little to no pain after the surgery. You’ll likely have swelling and mild discomfort for 3 days or so. Your mouth may need a few weeks to completely heal.

Follow your doctor’s instructions for a quicker recovery. Here are some tips for the first 3 days after surgery:

Do’s:

• Use an ice pack on your face to curb swelling
• Gently open and close your mouth to exercise your jaw
• Eat soft foods like pasta, rice, soup, yogurt
• Drink plenty of fluids
• Brush your teeth starting on the second day. Don’t brush against any blood clot
• Take the meds that your doctor prescribes to ease the pain or swelling.

Don’ts:

• Don’t smoke any type of cigarettes
• Don’t drink through a straw. Sucking may loosen blood clots that help your mouth heal.
• Don’t rinse your mouth too harshly. Your doctor may suggest rinsing gently with salt water
• Don’t eat hard, crunchy, or sticky foods that may scratch your wounds.

If you don’t follow the first three rules after the wisdom tooth extraction ( don`t smoke, don`t drink with a straw, don`t rinse your mouth too harshly) you will have a high chance of getting a “dry socket”. Because sucking may loosen blood clots that help your mouth heal. A dry socket (alveolar osteitis) is a painful dental condition that sometimes happens after you have a permanent tooth extracted. A dry socket is when the blood clot at the site of the tooth extraction fails to develop, or it dislodges or dissolves before the wound has healed.

Please feel free to call our dental office if you have any dental questions. Our dental professionals will be glad to assist you. You may request a phone call from us here  or simply call us at (786)808-9988