Did you know that about 3.5 million teeth extractions are performed every year? Most often, an extraction is needed because of their wisdom teeth.
Wisdom teeth can be very painful when left untreated.
That’s why in most cases, it’s best to have them extracted. So if you’ve recently started growing out your wisdom teeth, keep reading our helpful guide for better dental health and teeth extraction.
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
Believe it or not, wisdom teeth have some prehistoric history attached to them. For starters, wisdom teeth are the final molars that most teens and young adults get. Wisdom teeth were seen as replacement teeth prior to dental health facilities.
For example, the teeth would fall out and the wisdom teeth would come and replace them. However, now that we’ve evolved past the need for “replacements”, wisdom teeth are seen as a burden.
Unfortunately, wisdom teeth are often misaligned and grow horizontally. The bad alignment can result in damaged teeth, toothaches, and much more!
There are instances where the wisdom teeth grow and can become an asset.
Nevertheless, it’s always best to have Georgetown dental take a look and examine how they are growing out.
When Do Wisdom Teeth Begin to Come In?
It’s hard to give a specific timeline for when your wisdom teeth are fully expected to come in. Most people start getting them around the ages of 17 to 21.
Nevertheless, some people get them a lot earlier or later than the designated time. It’s important to mention that the younger your wisdom teeth come in, the easier they’re to extract.
For older adults, the bones are a lot more condense which can make it hard to remove the tooth! Therefore, it’s important to remove them as soon as possible.
Does Everyone Have Wisdom Teeth?
Your third molars or “wisdom teeth ” are not a given. In fact, some individuals never grow their molars or only grow one. There isn’t a definite answer on why some people have wisdom teeth and others don’t.
However, some believe it has to do with genetics. For example, if one of your parents is missing their wisdom teeth, chances are you will too! Other factors to consider are your external environment, diet, and your jaw structure.
But, be aware that sometimes you can’t see your wisdom teeth because of how they are. Therefore, this doesn’t mean you don’t have wisdom teeth, this means they haven’t emerged.
Luckily a dentist in Georgetown can x-ray your mouth and determine if you have them or not!
Why Teeth Extraction Is Important
Finding the best teeth extraction in Georgetown is crucial and here’s why. Wisdom teeth can become enclosed within your gums or jaw. When this happens only a partial tear happens in the gums.
When a partial tear happens the small space allows bacteria to enter the hole and cause infections. Overall, this will result in jaw pain and swelling.
Over time, this can cause gum disease such as periodontal disease. Not to mention, the off placement makes it hard for you to floss and clean the area.
All of these factors can cause severe dental problems. This is why finding the best dentist Georgetown is crucial.
Signs You Need a Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Most people don’t know when they should see a dentist for a tooth extraction. It’s important that you know this information because if you wait too long, your dental health could be at risk!
1. Constant Infections
If you keep getting infections in your mouth wisdom you should get a teeth extraction Georgetown. Oftentimes, wisdom teeth hold a lot of bacteria and food around the crevices.
This can lead to bad infections even if you’re cleaning the area. Over time, an infection could make your other teeth unhealthy and cause you to lose them!
2. You Can’t Clean the Area
This problem goes hand in hand with constant infections. Oftentimes, it’s hard to clean the area because of pain or the tooth is in a bad position.
Over time, this will lead to infections and other problems. You can have your teeth cleaned but the best solution is tooth extraction.
3. Damage to Other Teeth
Once your wisdom teeth begin to affect your remaining teeth, it’s best to have a tooth extraction. Oftentimes, people who leave their wisdom teeth experience decay, teeth crookedness, permanent jaw changes, and more!
4. Extreme Tooth and Jaw Ache
Once you start experiencing pain around the tooth area, begin planning for a tooth extraction! Typically, this kind of pain indicates that your wisdom tooth might have collided with other teeth.
Over time, the pain will get worse until your jaw and teeth become misaligned to fit the wisdom tooth.
5. Abnormal Cyst
When wisdom teeth become impacted cysts and even tumors can develop! Cyst and tumors can grow to be very painful and become painful.
A good way to check for cysts and tumors is by taking a clean finger and feeling around the area.
If you notice an abnormal lump, visit a dental clinic Georgetown immediately.
Wisdom Teeth Extraction: How Does It Work?
Tooth extraction is done under a local or general anesthetic. Sometimes depending on the severity of the extraction, both a general and local anesthetic is given.
Typically an oral surgeon performs this kind of procedure with the help of a dental assistant. There are two kinds of wisdom teeth extraction: a partial erupted or partial tear.
Usually, an erupted tooth will be easy to extract because it has fully penetrated the tissue. However, a erupted or impacted tooth is a lot more complicated.
The oral surgeon will need to make a cut in the gums to expose the tooth. The tooth can then be removed by wiggling it out of the socket. In some cases, the tooth is tightly compacted and needs to be broken and then taken out piece by piece.
Down below is a detailed list of how your appointment with a dental clinic Georgetown will go!
Day of Surgery Expectations
On the day of your appointment, the dentist will x-ray your mouth. This x-ray will help provide a better picture of how the tooth is growing. Most dentists in Georgetown can perform the procedure in the office.
However, there are instances where the surgery is done at a hospital instead. Once the surgeon has a good idea of how the tooth is growing, they will inject you with a general anesthetic.
Once you’re comfortable, a series of metal tools will be used to carefully extract the tooth. Once finished, the surgeon will stitch up the area you’ll be ready to go.
Aftercare Instructions
Aftercare instructions are important to follow as they can lessen the chances of an infection. Firstly, your surgeon will advise you to avoid smoking or drinking alcohol for at least 24 hours.
You should avoid any spicy food and hard foods. Some dentists will prescribe you medication for your pain and swelling. However, you can also take ibuprofen for minor discomfort.
Your surgeon will also prescribe you antibiotics and a specialized mouthwash. Be sure to use these two regularly as they will help you heal faster.
Lastly, your stitches may not be dissolvable. This means you’ll need to come back and have them removed after a few weeks!
Wisdom Teeth Extraction Complications
If the proper aftercare isn’t done, the possibility of complications can arise. Here are some complications to look out for:
- Swelling
- Severe pain even with medication
- Bleeding
- Bruising around the jaw area
- Infections
- Nausea due to the anesthetic
- Dry sockets
All of these signs should be carefully examined throughout the healing process. If symptoms worsen, visit your surgeon or go to an emergency room.
There are also more severe complications that could arise. For example, paralysis or nerve damage can occur near the incision site.
Some people might experience numbness around the cheek and lip area. If this doesn’t go away after a few days, schedule a visit with your surgeon!
Nevertheless, this type of complication is very rare.
Another complication you might have is a bad reaction to the medications.
This is why it’s important to disclose any allergens to your surgeon. This way the proper medications can be prescribed to you!
Lastly, extracting a tooth can lead to a fracture in the lower jaw or mandibular. Typically this fracture happens during surgery or a few weeks after surgery.
It’s best to follow every aftercare instruction and come back for regular checkups!
Get Your Wisdom Teeth Removed Today
Teeth extraction is very important especially if you want to avoid future complications. So keep up with your dental health by getting regular checkups!
And if you have more questions about wisdom teeth extraction, contact us today and speak to one of our knowledge receptionists.