Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are third molars that are way in the back of the mouth. Wisdom teeth are often not able to emerge normally and instead become impacted or trapped within your jaw. Nevertheless, you may never experience problems with your wisdom teeth, as they may emerge normally.

Symptoms

 Common signs and symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth include:

  • Pain or tenderness around your gums
  • Swelling around your jaw
  • Red or swollen gums around the impacted tooth
  • Jaw pain
  • Bad breath
  • Unpleasant taste when biting down on or near the area
  • Prolonged headache or jaw ache

Complications

Impacted wisdom teeth that are not removed can cause numerous problems. These problems include:

  • Gum disease: bacteria and food can become trapped under a flap of gum that can grow over wisdom teeth, creating infections (perichoronitis).
  • Crowding: A wisdom tooth can push on other teeth, damaging them or moving them out of position.
  • Decay: Because they are hard to reach, wisdom teeth are difficult to clean, making them vulnerable to decay.
  • Cysts: The crown of a wisdom tooth grows in a sac. If the sac remains in the jawbone, it can fill with fluid, forming a cyst that can damage the jawbone, teeth and nerves. Very rarely a tumour, usually benign, may develop, which may require removal of tissue and bone.

 

 

 

 

 

Extracting an impacted wisdom tooth

Extraction of wisdom teeth can be done in Dr Kushner’s surgery with local anesthesia. However, if the tooth is deeply impacted or if the extraction is difficult, you will be referred to an oral surgeon. Usually, these extractions are done with conscious sedation in the specialists rooms; you may need general anesthesia for more complicated extractions.

Surgery after care – post operative instructions

General tips about care after oral surgery:

  • Activity: Plan to rest for the remainder of the day after surgery. Limit strenuous physical activities. If you are a smoker, do not smoke for at least the first 24 hours after surgery, as smoking could disrupt the blood clot in the socket.
  • Diet: Drink lots of clear liquids and eat only soft foods for the first 12 hours. If you had several teeth removed, maintain a diet of soft foods for the first few days. Do not use straws, as they could dislodge the clot that forms in the tooth socket.
  • Pain management: If your pain is severe you may need prescription pain medication during the first few days after surgery. Applying ice-packs – a bag of frozen peas works well and may help to control pain, as well as swelling.
  • Bleeding: Some oozing of blood is normal for the first day after removal of your impacted wisdom tooth. Limit the amount of rinsing, as this will dislodge the blood clot in the socket. Biting on a used tea bag wrapped in gauze promotes clotting. Remember that when blood mixes with saliva, the amount of loss can look worse than it actually is.
  • Swelling and bruising- Swelling of the cheeks and jaw is normal after surgery. You can use ice packs to help control swelling. You may also have some bruising around your jaw.
  • Cleaning your mouth- The day after surgery, occassionaly rinse your mouth gently with warm salt water. Avoid rinsing too often as this will dislodge the blood clot which has formed in the surgical site.

Complications of extractions

Other complications can include:

  • Numbness, usually temporary, of your teeth, gums, tongue and chin
  • Dry socket when the socket clot dislodges, exposing underlying bone
  • Infection from bacteria or trapped food particles
  • Sinus problems if teeth near the sinuses were removed

 

 

 

 

Damage to adjacent molar