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Wisdom Tooth Extraction! why is it needed.

An informative article on needs and risks involved in Wisdom Tooth Extraction

· wisdom tooth,third molar
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An oral surgeon or an experienced dentist can remove (extract) a wisdom tooth. The procedure often can be done in the dentist's or surgeon's office. You may have the surgery in the hospital, especially if you are having all your wisdom teeth pulled at one time or if you are at high risk for complications.

If you have any infections, surgery will usually be delayed until the infection has cleared up. Your doctor or dentist may have you take antibiotics to help heal the infection.

Before removing a wisdom tooth, your dentist will give you a local anesthetic to numb the area where the tooth will be removed. A general anesthetic may be used, especially if several or all of your wisdom teeth will be removed at the same time. A general anesthetic prevents pain in the whole body and will cause you to sleep through the procedure. Your dentist will probably recommend that you don't eat or drink after midnight on the night before surgery so that you are prepared for the anesthetic.

To remove the wisdom tooth, your dentist will open up the gum tissue over the tooth and take out any bone that is covering the tooth. He or she will separate the tissue connecting the tooth to the bone and then remove the tooth. Sometimes the dentist will cut the tooth into smaller pieces to make it easier to remove.

After the tooth is removed, you may need stitches. Some stitches dissolve over time and some have to be removed after a few days. Your dentist will tell you whether your stitches need to be removed. A folded cotton gauze pad placed over the wound will help stop the bleeding.

Why Is It Done

A wisdom tooth / third molar is extracted to correct an actual problem or to prevent problems that may show up in the future. Some of the common problems that can occur when wisdom teeth come in are:

  • Your wisdom tooth may break partway through your gums, causing a flap of tissue to grow over the gums. Food & germs can get trapped under the flap and cause your gums to become red, swollen, and painful. These are signs of infection.
  • Your jaw may not be large enough for them, and they may become impacted and unable to break through your gums.
  • More serious problems can develop from impacted teeth, such as infection, damage to other teeth and bone, or a cyst.
  • One or more of your wisdom teeth may come in at an awkward angle, with the top of the tooth facing forward, backward, or to either side.
What To Expect

In most cases of wisdom tooth extraction, the recovery period lasts only a few days. Take painkillers as prescribed by your dentist or oral surgeon. The following tips will help speed your recovery.

  • Bite gently on the gauze pad periodically, and change pads as they become soaked with blood. Call your dentist or oral surgeon if you still have bleeding 24 hours after your surgery.
  • Do not lie flat or on the side where the tooth is extracted. This may prolong bleeding. Prop up your head with pillows.
  • While your mouth is numb, be careful not to bite the inside of your lip or cheek, or your tongue.
  • Try using an ice on the outside of your cheek. Apply for 10 to 20 minutes at a time for the first 24 hours. You can use moist heat for the following 2 or 3 days.
  • Relax after surgery. Physical activity may increase bleeding.
  • Eat soft foods, such as gelatin, pudding, or a thin soup. Gradually add solid foods to your diet as healing progresses.
  • Do not use a straw for the first few days. Sucking on a straw can loosen the blood clot and delay healing.
  • After the first day, gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water several times a day to reduce swelling and relieve pain. You can make your own salt water by mixing 1 tsp (5 g) of salt in a medium-sized glass [8 fl oz (240 mL)] of warm water. Do not rinse hard. This can loosen the blood clot and delay healing.
  • Do not smoke for at least 24 hours after your surgery. The sucking motion can loosen the clot and delay healing. Also, smoking decreases the blood supply and can bring germs and contaminants to the surgery area.
  • Avoid rubbing the area with your tongue or touching it with your fingers.
  • Continue to brush your teeth and tongue carefully.

Your dentist will remove the stitches after a few days, if needed.

Risks Involved

After a Third Molar is removed, you may experience:

  • Pain & swelling in your gums as well as tooth socket where the tooth was removed.
  • Bleeding that won't stop for about 24 hours.
  • Difficulty with or pain from opening your jaw ( trismus ).
  • Slow-healing gums.
  • Damage to existing dental work, such as crowns or bridges, or to roots of a nearby tooth.
  • A painful inflammation called dry socket, which happens if the protective blood clot is lost too soon.
  • Numbness in your mouth and lips after the local anesthetic wears off, due to injury or inflammation of nerves in the jaw.
  • Rare side effects, including:
    • Numbness in the mouth or lips that does not go away.
    • A fractured jaw if the tooth was firmly attached to the jaw bone.
    • An opening into the sinus cavity when a wisdom tooth is removed from the upper jaw.

Dental surgery may cause bacteria in the mouth to enter the bloodstream and cause infections in other parts of the body. People who have difficulty fighting off infections may need to take antibiotics before and after dental surgery. Such people include those who have artificial heart valves or were born with heart defects.

Anesthetic (local and/or general) almost always is used during the extraction procedure. All surgeries, including oral surgery, that use general anesthetic have a small risk of death or other complications.