Wisdom teeth typically appear at the very back of the mouth during your late teens or early twenties. If they grow at an angle, become stuck or impacted, or only partially emerge, they may cause issues for your other teeth and have to be removed.
Wisdom teeth have the tendency to get stuck or grow incorrectly due to a lack of space in the mouth. If your wisdom tooth is painful or causing unnecessary decay, infection or gum disease, it is important to get it looked at.
We can assess the impact of your wisdom tooth on the rest of your mouth and remove it if necessary to stop infection and improve your oral health. Some wisdom teeth can be left in place, managed with other treatments and monitored at your regular check-ups.
If your wisdom tooth needs to be removed, we discuss the procedure with you in detail and obtain your consent for the surgery before continuing.
We use local anaesthetic to minimise your discomfort and ensure you are relaxed and ready before we begin. We lift the overlying gums aside to expose the tooth and bone and remove your tooth, before stitching the gum carefully back. If it is very large, we may need to remove it in parts.
Once your wisdom tooth has been removed, we make sure you are feeling well and give you some advice on what to expect over the next few days to weeks.
Frequently asked questions
After wisdom tooth removal, some minor bleeding from the wound can be expected, which can be controlled by biting on a piece of gauze over the operation area for about half an hour. Facial swelling and discolouration of the overlying skin will also develop, increasing for the first 72 hours and subsiding thereafter. You may also not be able to open your mouth as wide as usual for a few days. Painkillers, antibiotics and an antiseptic mouthwash are usually prescribed after the surgery. You will be advised to maintain good oral hygiene and also to keep to a soft diet for a few days following surgery.
Recovery times vary depending on the complexity of the extraction and your individual healing process. Most patients experience some swelling and tenderness for the first few days, although this can be managed with over-the-counter painkillers as advised by your dentist. Most people find they can return to their normal daily routines soon after treatment.
If a wisdom tooth is not causing pain or affecting your oral health, it can often be left alone and simply monitored during your regular dental examinations. In some instances, minor infections can be managed with antibiotics. However, if a tooth is impacted or making it difficult to keep clean, removal is often the best long-term solution.
Your comfort is our priority. We use local anaesthetic to ensure the affected area of your mouth is completely numb before beginning treatment. You shouldn’t feel any pain during the wisdom tooth extraction, but you may experience some pressure as your tooth is gently loosened. This is a normal part of the process and typically only lasts a short time.
The duration of the appointment depends entirely on the position of the tooth and the complexity of the case. A simple extraction may only take a few minutes, while more involved cases can take around half an hour. Your dentist will be able to give you an idea of the timescale at your initial appointment.
You should try and avoid eating hard, chewy or overly acidic foods immediately following your wisdom tooth removal. These can get lodged in the extraction site and cause infection or pain. It is best to stick to soft foods and drink lots of fluids at first. Your dentist will give you detailed advice on what to do following your treatment, including how long your recovery should take.
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