Wisdom teeth are the final set of permanent molars that erupt through the gums during adulthood. You might get your wisdom teeth in your late teens or twenties. When properly aligned, wisdom teeth act as a great asset but very often they are poorly aligned and need quick removal. Wisdom teeth in most of the cases don't have enough room to accommodate themselves. This leads to their horizontal alignment that damages the nerves, adjacent teeth, and the surrounding jawbone.
In many scenarios, wisdom teeth are impacted. They don't fully erupt through the gums and are enclosed beneath the soft tissues and the jawbone. This partial eruption creates an opening through the gums and allows bacteria to enter the gum tissue and cause infections. You should get your wisdom teeth removed because:
Removal of wisdom teeth should be done early when the roots have not fully formed and the surrounding bone is soft. Removing fully developed wisdom teeth is complicated and might damage the nerves.
Wisdom teeth removal is performed by an oral or maxillofacial surgeon. First, an X-ray is done to evaluate the alignment of your wisdom teeth. You may get your teeth removed in any of the following ways:
A wisdom tooth that has completely emerged from the gums is extracted without a surgical procedure. Your doctor will numb the tooth and surrounding area using local anesthesia and a special tool will be used to loosen it. He will then rock the tooth back and forth to disconnect it from the surrounding tissues. When the tooth is loose enough, your doctor will uproot it using force.
Wisdom teeth or Impacted teeth are removed via surgery. The dentist uses oral sedation and makes an incision in the gums to reach the impacted tooth. He will remove the bone from around the tooth and divide the tooth into smaller parts. Dividing the tooth into sections prior to extraction prevents uneven and unpredicted breaking at a later stage. Each piece is separately removed to prevent uneven breaking. The surgical site is then secured with stitches.
Wisdom teeth removal involves tooth extraction and causes minor trauma to the gums and the surrounding tissues. Following the given aftercare tips will make your life easier and accelerate the healing procedure.
For further queries, visit us at Nickles Dental or book an appointment with us at (864) 244-3211.