Wisdom Teeth Removal

Wisdom teeth are the last molars to arrive, usually in the late teens or early twenties. Some people have enough room for them and never think about them again. For plenty of others there is not enough space, the teeth come through at an angle, or they never fully emerge at all. That is usually when they start causing trouble.

We remove wisdom teeth here in our own facility, including impacted and more complicated cases, and we can do it under sedation so the appointment is far easier to get through than most people expect.

Why Wisdom Teeth Are Removed

Not every wisdom tooth needs to come out. When removal is recommended, it is usually because the tooth is causing trouble now or is likely to. Common reasons include:

• There is not enough room in the jaw for the tooth to come through properly
• The tooth is impacted — stuck against the tooth in front, or still under the gum
• The gum over a partly emerged tooth keeps becoming sore or infected
• The tooth is difficult to clean, so decay is building up on it or its neighbour
• It is pushing on the teeth in front of it

The decision is made from an examination and X-rays, and we explain what we see before anything is booked. If your wisdom teeth are healthy and well positioned, leaving them alone is a perfectly reasonable answer.

Signs Worth Getting Looked At

Wisdom teeth do not always announce themselves, which is why they are often picked up at a routine checkup before you notice anything. Some things are worth booking for:

• Aching or pressure at the very back of the jaw
• Gum that is swollen, tender or repeatedly sore behind your last molar
• Difficulty opening your mouth fully, or pain when you bite
• A bad taste or persistent bad breath coming from the back of the mouth
• Food packing in behind the last tooth no matter how you clean it

Discomfort that comes and goes is still worth mentioning. Problems with wisdom teeth often settle for a while before returning.

Removing Wisdom Teeth Under Sedation

This is the part that puts people off, and it is the part we can actually do something about. Wisdom tooth removal is exactly the kind of appointment our sedation options exist for: long, at the back of the mouth, and sometimes needing surgical access.

Depending on your case and your medical history, that can mean IV moderate sedation, IV deep sedation, or general anesthesia. We go through the options at your consultation and recommend one based on what is planned and how you feel about it. Joanne Murphy, our registered nurse, monitors patients throughout their sedation.

Plenty of people have all four dealt with in one sedated appointment instead of coming back three more times. Whether that suits your case is something we will discuss with you.

What the Appointment Involves

You will have a consultation first, where we examine the teeth, take the X-rays we need, go through your medical history and medications, and agree a plan. Nothing is booked before you know what is involved.

On the day, you will be settled and sedated before anything begins. The tooth is freed and lifted out; sometimes it is removed in sections, which is routine and often gentler on the surrounding bone than taking it whole. Stitches may be placed. You should not feel pain during the procedure, and with deeper sedation most people remember little or nothing of it.

You will need a responsible adult to drive you home and stay with you afterwards — you will not be able to drive.

Recovery

Some swelling and soreness for a few days is normal and settles steadily. Most people plan a quiet day or two afterwards and manage with over-the-counter pain relief and an ice pack, though how quickly you feel yourself again depends on the case and the sedation used.

We give you instructions written for your procedure before you leave. Our pre and post-operative instructions page sets out the general guidance in full — what to eat, how to keep the site clean, why to avoid straws and smoking, and when to call us. If anything worries you while you are healing, call (226) 257-8888.