We pride ourselves on safe, conservative, and gentle extractions. With our advanced Sirona Orthophos XG 3D Cone Beam CT and OPG machine – your wisdom teeth scans can be done conveniently on the spot in our studio, without the need for referral to a radiology clinic.
Wisdom teeth typically make an appearance in your late teens to early twenties. Problems can arise when there is insufficient space at the rear of your jaw for the teeth to emerge and become completely functional. Wisdom teeth may become wedged in or impacted leading to severe problems, infection, and pain.
Before, during and after a wisdom tooth extraction you’re in great hands with Dr Anthony Hua and his team. In most cases local anaesthetic is all that is required to remove your problem tooth/teeth before you know it. Swift healing and recovery are important to us, we don’t just send you on your way. You’re provided with written post-operative care instructions and extra sterile gauze to ensure you know precisely what to do to achieve a speedy, worry-free recovery. Our friendly team will also follow-up with a courtesy call the following day to ensure your recovery is going according to plan and to answer any questions you may have.
What are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom (third molar) teeth are a set of four adult teeth located in the back corners of your mouth, which usually grow between the ages of 17 and 24. For some people they do not cause any concerns and for these lucky individuals, they experience no pain or problems as their teeth fully erupt without issues.
For many others, there is usually not enough room in the mouth for the wisdom teeth to come in normally, or at all, causing impacted or partially impacted wisdom teeth. When a wisdom tooth forms but never breaks through the gums, it is referred to as ‘impacted’, and when it emerges only part way, it is called a ‘partially impacted’ wisdom tooth. In either case, the tooth often grows at an angle because of the lack of space in the mouth, and becomes the source of many potential problems, such as:
– Wisdom tooth pain
– Trapped food leading to decay
– Bacterial growth along the opening of the gum line from a partially impacted tooth
– Development of a cyst around the wisdom tooth
– Damage to nearby teeth or the surrounding jawbone
Signs & Symptoms of Potential Problems
You should look out for signs and symptoms of potential problems with your wisdom teeth, which can include (but are not limited to):
– Tender or bleeding gums
– Red or swollen gums
– Jaw pain
– Swelling around the jaw
– Difficulty opening your mouth
– Bad breath
When an impacted or partially impacted wisdom tooth causes pain or damage, extraction (removal) of the tooth is usually recommended.
What happens during a wisdom tooth extraction?
The ideal time to remove an impacted wisdom tooth is when the roots are between 1/3 and 2/3 formed. Waiting until later can make the procedure difficult and increase the risk of complications, such as injury to your nerves and sinuses. The removal of an impacted wisdom tooth is almost always done painlessly in-chair and performed under local anaesthetic by our expert team at Burleigh Dental Studio.
The procedure will begin with numbing your mouth with local anaesthetic to prevent any pain, gaining access through the soft tissues if required, then removing any bone that may be blocking access to the tooth or roots, followed by extraction of the tooth. Depending on your procedure, sutures are sometimes, but not always necessary at the end of your extraction.
What is wisdom teeth surgery recovery like?
Following your extraction, the local anaesthetic given to numb the pain will begin to wear off and many people will experience some pain in the following days after the procedure. The amount of discomfort will depend on the extent of your procedure and your own pain threshold.
You should expect to experience some level of discomfort for 3 to 10 days after the procedure. Some bleeding is also expected after your wisdom tooth extraction, and we will provide you with gauze to bite onto to help control the bleeding. Ice packs help to minimise any swelling, and we may give you medications to help manage anticipated pain.
What do you eat after having your wisdom teeth removed?
After your surgery choose foods that are nourishing but comfortable for you to eat. Immediately after the procedure, we recommend eating soft foods that do not require much chewing, such as jelly, smoothies, or ice cream, as you may still be numb and can bite yourself without knowing. Many people prefer to eat soft foods for the first few days, although this depends on your own comfort level and any specific instructions you have been given by us at the time of your procedure.
Make sure you avoid any extremely hot or spicy foods during the initial recovery period, as well as drinking from a straw for two weeks post-surgery. This helps to ensure that the surgical site can heal properly.
How to prevent a dry socket
After your wisdom tooth extraction, a blood clot will form in the hole left behind in the bone where the tooth was removed, otherwise known as the socket. This blood clot protects the exposed bone and nerves, however if it becomes dislodged or dissolves in the days following your surgery, your bone and nerves can become exposed to food, fluids, and bacteria. This can lead to significant pain, which is a condition called a ‘dry socket’. It is important to note that this condition can delay normal healing, but it is not an infection.
To help prevent a dry socket after your wisdom tooth removal, it is important that for two weeks post-surgery you avoid smoking, vigorous rinsing, spitting, drinking from a straw and strenuous exercise, as all these activities may lead to a dry socket.
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