Like other unnecessary things in life, wisdom teeth can be tolerated until they begin to cause trouble for your oral health. Normally, these teeth may erupt when a person is 17-25 years old. For some people, they never cause any issues or even appear. But it is important to understand what they are and the difficulties they can cause in case the time comes to be proactive with problematic tooth removal. Also, if you decide to act, what do the procedure and ensuing recovery entail? To find out, continue reading or
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Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars at the very back of the mouth. Most people have four of them – one in each quadrant of their mouth. However, some people have only one or two.
They tend to develop long after the other adult teeth have already grown in when a person is older and “wiser” than they were years ago. Most scientists agree these teeth are largely unnecessary for modern humans, but they were essential for our ancestors who ate a very rough diet.
Wisdom tooth removal is not always necessary, but that changes when these teeth pose a threat to a patient’s oral health. If your wisdom teeth are currently causing any of the following problems, or it is deemed likely they will do so in the future, your dentist in Jacksonville will recommend you get them extracted:
If you ever experience any discomfort around your wisdom teeth, you may require emergency treatment, so do not hesitate to call us for a same-day appointment.
If your wisdom teeth have fully erupted, we may utilize basic extraction techniques to remove them. That means we will use dental forceps and an elevator to gently extract them. However, if the teeth are fully or partially impacted (stuck beneath the gumline), surgical techniques might be required to get them out.
For example, we may have to create incisions in the gums to access the tooth before carefully breaking it into smaller pieces. Regardless of the technique chosen, it’s always a priority to keep you comfortable during the procedure.
Most people feel better within a week or so of their wisdom tooth extraction in Jacksonville. In the meantime, swelling and facial soreness are normal. Some bleeding may also occur. You must be careful not to disturb the blood clots in your extraction sites.
You should eat soft foods, avoid drinking through straws, avoid smoking, and be very careful when performing oral hygiene tasks. If you have any questions or concerns during your recovery, we’ll be ready to help.