Wisdom Tooth Removal
What to Expect After wisdom tooth removal Surgery
- Mild pain and discomfort in the gums and tooth socket from where the tooth is removed. This is controlled by pain killers prescribed by your dentist.
- Swelling of the face on the side from where the tooth is removed. The swelling gradually comes down in 2-3 days.
- Difficulty in opening the jaw
- Bleeding from the extraction site that continues as small drops upto 24 hrs after the surgery.
- In some cases the numbness on the lips and part of the tongue may persist even after the wearing off of the local anaesthesia.
Instructions after wisdom tooth removal
- Bite on the gauge for upto 30 minutes after the surgery.
- Apply ice-pack on the outside of your cheek for first 24 hours after the surgery.
- Eat cold and soft food for the first day after the surgery.
- Avoid excessive physical activity as it may increase bleeding.
- Do not suck on straws for drinking liquids as it may dislodge the clot and delay healing.
- Take the medicines as prescribed by the dentist.
- Do not smoke for 24 hours after the surgery.
- After 24 hours of surgery rinse your mouth with warm salt water twice or thrice in a day.This will reduce swelling faster and ensure fast healing.
FAQ on wisdom tooth Removal
Do wisdom teeth need to be removed even if they are not painful or infected ?
Jaws generally do not have enough place to accommodate wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth may then try to erupt in an awkward position. Their eruption can cause several problems like infection , crowding of other teeth in mouth, or damage to other teeth . So ideally it is advised to get all four wisdom teeth removed even before they begin to cause actual problems.
Is there a specialist for a wisdom tooth removal ?
An Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon is specially trained to remove difficult teeth like wisdom tooth. He is also trained to handle any complications that may arise as a result of tooth extraction.
How is wisdom tooth removal or extraction different from normal tooth extraction ?
In many cases wisdom teeth are embedded inside the bone and gums. The tissue and the overlying bone needs to be removed first to expose the tooth . Also wisdom teeth are lying in the mouth at an awkard positions . In such cases the tooth needs to be cut into several pieces and removed to avoid any damage to the neighbouring teeth. How long is the surgery for the wisdom tooth removal?
The time taken for surgery can vary between 30 -90 minutes. The time taken may depend upon the factors like the position of the tooth , complications involved and the skill of the surgeon.