Having your wisdom teeth removed is considered by many people to be their worst nightmare.
It is difficult to say why this procedure is considered above others as somehow being “extra painful”, maybe it’s because only adults need their wisdom teeth removed, so the memory is fresher than any childhood visit to the dentist.
Whatever the reason, it holds a special place in peoples’ imaginations, we’re here to tell you that having your wisdom teeth removed is nowhere near as bad as you might think, and the results from not having the procedure are in fact, much, much worse.
What goes wrong with wisdom teeth
Not all wisdom teeth need to be removed. In fact, not everyone even gets wisdom teeth in the first place.
Most of us have our first set of teeth by age three, and these baby teeth fall out by the time we’re ten.
The next (and final) set to come along, so by the time we’re teenagers, we’ve got a full set of adult teeth that will do us for life.
But that’s not the end of it for some people.
Around two-thirds of us have another set of teeth come through around 17 – 20 years old. These extra set of molars are a throw-back to an earlier stage of human evolution when our diets where harder and we needed the extra “grinding power”.
Back then our jaws were physically bigger too and we could fit these extra set of teeth in, but now there is no room for them to come through and they can cause major problems when they finally do arrive.
With no room to come out, they can get trapped beneath the gum or bone leading to swelling, pain and possible infection.
The pain from wayward or infected wisdom teeth can be excruciating, and if left untreated, will only get worse.
Having your wisdom teeth removed
It must be noted that even if you do have your wisdom teeth come through, it doesn’t necessarily mean things will go wrong.
Some people have their third set of molars come through just fine without any problems, although many people opt to have them removed before they start to breach, just to be sure.
If you feel yours starting to come through, your dentist will want to take x-rays to see what’s going on behind the gums.
From the resulting images, a decision is made about the potential direction of your wisdom teeth, and if they’re likely to cause any trouble.
If there’s plenty of room for them to grow, and it looks like they’re coming in straight, then it’s probably best to let them run their natural course.
If, however, you’re already experiencing pain, or the new molars are on course to impact existing teeth, then they may have to be removed, and sooner rather than later is best.
The procedure and recovery
First of all, any horror stories you’ve heard about having your wisdom teeth removed are probably just that – stories.
Every dental procedure is pretty much the same for the patient –lie in the chair with your mouth open, feeling a slight pressure, but no pain.
Modern dentistry uses the latest anaesthetic techniques, either local or general, so you won’t feel a thing. If you are concerned or suffer from anxiety then SDAI offers in chair sleep dentistry
The type of anaesthetic used for wisdom tooth removal will depend on the condition of your new teeth and how difficult your dentist thinks extraction will be.
The hardest part of having your wisdom teeth removed comes after the procedure.
Even though it is a common treatment, it is still major dental work and you should expect some pain and swelling over the next few days. If you’ve had sedation or a general anaesthetic, then you’ll need someone there to take you home.
Eating might be difficult over the following days as your gums heal, so plenty of rest and lots of pain killers will be on the menu.
Let us help you with your wisdom teeth
Forget all the horror stories you’ve heard about having wisdom teeth removed, the procedure is no more painful than any other.
Thirty or forty years ago wisdom tooth removal may have been a more complicated affair, but with our modern treatments, state-of-the-art 3D X-ray scanners, and effective anaesthetics, having your wisdom teeth removed is a simple as having a filling.
The procedure is quick, painless, and affordable, and with us, your personal experience and comfort are paramount.
In fact, to make sure your visit with us is as stress-free as possible, we’re offering free sedation when someone gets all their wisdom teeth removed! So now is the perfect time to take action.
Remember, the longer wisdom tooth-related pain continues, the worse it gets, so please call us at the first sign of discomfort.
Our friendly and experienced staff will be happy to help in any way they can.