Wisdom Teeth Extraction

What happens during surgery?

If you must get your wisdom teeth removed, do not get all 4 removed unless there is good reason to. Only have the wisdom teeth removed that are causing problems.

If you must get your wisdom teeth removed ask the oral surgeon why it is necessary and, if you are not satisfied with the answer, get a second opinion. You should not have your dentist remove your wisdom teeth. If the surgery is necessary, consider having it done in the hospital and under no circumstances should you have the oral surgeon administer the anesthesia.

If you are looking for an example of a consent form or to know an estimate of the cost click the links.

Before the operation
You and your surgeon will need to decide what kind of anaesthetic to use. Most people have a local anaesthetic. This is an injection that numbs part of your mouth. It’s the same painkiller you might have had for a filling. You’ll need two or three injections into your gum. It works for the length of the operation: about 40 minutes. But your lip or tongue will still feel numb two or three hours after. Some people have a general anaesthetic. This makes you sleep. There are more risks with a general anaesthetic than a local anaesthetic. It’s normally only given in hospital. Your surgeon may suggest a type of anaesthetic called conscious sedation.
A sedative drug is fed through a needle into the back of your hand. Or you could be given a pill, but this isn’t as common. You’ll feel very relaxed and sleepy, but you’ll still be awake. You won’t feel any pain.

During the operation
The operation usually lasts for about 40 minutes. But it could take up to an hour if you’re having all four teeth removed or they’re hard to get out. The longer the operation lasts the greater the risk of complications occuring.

Here’s what happens.
• Your surgeon will make a small cut into your gum to get to the tooth underneath.
• Then, he or she will remove bone around the tooth and take out the tooth. A drill is usually used, but sometimes the operation is done with a small chisel.
• Depending on the position of the tooth, your dentist or surgeon may need to cut the tooth into pieces to make it easier to take out. A saltwater spray is put into your mouth to wash away blood and bits of tooth.
• Once the tooth is removed, your surgeon will stitch your gum back up using stitches that will dissolve.

How well does the operation work?

Your wisdom teeth will not grow back. If you haven't yet checked out the complications, please do so.

Will surgery be painful?

The pain usually peaks three hours to six hours after the operation. It normally goes away after five days to seven days. You’ll need to take painkillers at first such as ibuprofen, paracetamol, or coedeine. You may want to take painkillers regularly for the first few days, and only when you feel you need them after that.

Post Operative Advice

Immediately After Surgery

Sit still for a few minutes immediately after the appointment because you want to be sure that a blood clot has formed. This amount of time could be up to 30 minutes or an hour if you tend to bleed longer than most people.You will bite on gauze while you are waiting to keep pressure on the site and stop the bleeding.

After you leave the office, you should be somewhat still and avoid strenuous activity for atleast 24 hours. Don’t suck or spit, as this will stop the formation of a blood clot which is needed to prevent dry socket. Bleeding is normal but if you notice thick bleeding with dark red blood clots, you need to apply more pressure. Use either gauze or a paper towel and wad it up so it puts pressure directly on the site. Do this for 45 minutes and do it again if it hasn't stopped. If it is still bleeding go to the hospital emergency room.

Swelling

Use ice packs to help control swelling. 20 minutes on followed by 20 minutes off of applying ice will help reduce swelling and minimize pain. After 24 to 36 hours you can replace ice with moist heat to the sides of the face. This reduces the swelling and increases the range of motion of your jaw.

Mouth Rinse

The day after surgery, rinse your mouth gently with warm salt water at least six times a day. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of water. Be very gentle when brushing your teeth around the area where surgery was. There will be a socket or a cavity where the tooth was removed. This area will gradually fill in with the new tissue over the next month and it is important to keep it clean.

Diet

Drink a lot of clear liquids and only eat soft foods for the first few days. Be sure you avoid hard or crunchy foods, such as popcorn and hard candy, for atleast two weeks after surgery. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids (8 glasses of water) to prevent dehyrdration. Avoid hot liquids and alcohol for the first day.

If you are looking for more information on what to eat after wisdom teeth removal click the link.

References
1. Removing Wisdom Teeth. Clinical Evidence, the British Medical Journal. Written September 2006.
http://besttreatments.bmj.com/btuk/pdf/34088.pdf
2. Worldental.org. The Most Traumatic Appointment in Dental Surgery - Tooth Extraction. Written April, 2008. http://worldental.org/teeth/the-most-traumatic-appointment-in-dental-surgery-tooth-extraction/
3. MayoClinic. Impacted Wisdom Teeth. Accessed July, 2008.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/wisdom-teeth/DS00679/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
4. WebMD. Dental Health: Wisdom Teeth. Accessed July, 2008.
http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/wisdom-teeth