As a Patient How Can You Prepare for Your Wisdom Teeth Extraction

How necessary is Wisdom Teeth Removal?

The simple reason for this is that our jaws don’t grow big enough to accommodate wisdom teeth. Due to the fact that there isn’t enough room for wisdom teeth, they normally grow at an angle, or they may fail to emerge fully. This causes problems for the rest of the teeth in the mouth. In most cases, wisdom teeth also known as the third molars damage the neighbouring teeth called the second molars. Dentists recommend wisdom teeth extraction before they can become problematic.

What are the common signs that You Need Your Wisdom Teeth Extracted?

1. Overcrowding or Impaction

When the wisdom teeth grow and shift into the wrong position, they are referred to as being impacted. This makes them useless. By growing at different angles compared to the rest of your teeth, you may experience tenderness, pain, and swelling. It is best to remove impacted teeth early before they grow into the jawbone and become difficult to extract at later years. When the teeth are too large to fit within the mouth, this condition is referred to as overcrowding. Overcrowded teeth need to be extracted to give the remaining erupting teeth more space.

2. Inflamed Gums

In most of the cases when the wisdom teeth sprout out, they create a flap of gum tissue next to the tooth. The gum tissue hardens and becomes inflamed therefore trapping small food particles and bacteria making it hard to clean. The condition is known as pericoronitis, which also occurs around wisdom teeth that are yet to sprout.

3. Sinus Issues

It may sound a bit strange, but issues with your oral health may have a huge effect on your sinuses. Such problems arise when teeth on the upper jaw grow, and roots develop which push and rub against the sinuses exerting pressure on them. Although such problems are rare, wisdom teeth may lead to headaches, congestions, sinus pain and pressure.

4. Jaw Pain and Stiffness

When your wisdom teeth grow, they tend to shift your jawline and the rest of your teeth. This results in some major pain and stiffness in your jaw. If the pain is extending across your jaw or you feel you cannot open your mouth as wide as normal, then it’s high time you extract those teeth.

5. Infection

When a decaying tooth is not treated, the decay can spread to the pulp. This is dangerous because the infected pulp can spread the infection from one tooth to another. Usually, root canal therapy is recommended to treat the infection, but there are some cases where the infection becomes so extensive that root canal treatments cannot help. For that reason, tooth extraction is considered.

6. Cysts Form around the Tooth

If you tend to ignore your wisdom teeth for too long, they may end up forming cysts. A cyst is formed when a sac next to the teeth becomes filled with fluid. When the cyst goes untreated, it can destroy roots, bone, and surrounding structures. It may also turn into a tumour which requires additional surgery if it becomes extremely severe.

7. Cavities

The position of the wisdom teeth makes them hard to clean, hence creating a breeding ground for bacteria. Gums form pockets between the teeth where bacteria grow when they are irritated. This will promote cavities to develop leading to infections.

8. Difficulty Eating

Experiencing pain while eating might also be a reason you need your wisdom teeth extracted. Food may be getting stuck in between your gums and tops of the teeth. This may lead to serious problems especially if you cannot reach to the back of your mouth and clean. Visiting the dentist to fix the problem is the best option to handle it, but if the problem cannot be resolved, extraction might be the only solution.

9. Pain in The Back of Your Mouth

The most common and obvious sign that leads to teeth extraction is constant pain. If you experience pain while eating or cleaning your teeth or pain throughout the day, then you should visit the dentist for an extraction.

How to Prepare for Wisdom Teeth Extraction

The dentist can simply perform the procedure in his/her office. However, if the tooth is impacted deeply or the procedure may require some in-depth surgical approach, your dentist may advise that you see a dental surgeon. There are certain things you need to know so that you can adequately prepare for your wisdom teeth extraction.

Preparation before the Surgery

Ask Questions

You should explore any questions about your upcoming procedure that you feel like you need to know. Ask your oral surgeon anything you think will make you feel comfortable during the procedure. Some commonly asked questions include:

– How long will the procedure take?

– How many wisdom teeth need to be removed?

– How complicated is the procedure expected to be?

– What type of anaesthesia will the surgeon use?

– Have my wisdom teeth cause any damage to other teeth?

– Is there any risk that I might experience nerve damage?

– What are the maintenance tips that I need to know after the surgery?

– Are there any other treatments that I might undergo after the surgery?

– How long will it take for me to heal completely and go back to work?

Preparing the Day of the Surgery

In most cases, the process of wisdom teeth removal is performed as an outpatient procedure. This means that you will go home the same day after the procedure. Some of the preparation you need to make the day of the surgery include:

1. Arrange for Transport

Due to the fact that the oral surgeon will use anaesthesia to the patient during extraction procedure, the patient won’t be able to drive home after the process is completed. Since it can be quite challenging for the dentist to arrange transport for you, it is important that you ask a friend or a family member to accompany you to the dental clinic.

2. Avoid Eating or Drinking Before Surgery

If you will be put under anaesthesia, it is important that you avoid taking any food before the surgery to avoid vomiting. A majority of people will experience nausea and discomfort after receiving general anaesthesia. It is also important that you let your dentist know of any current medication that you are using in order to avoid any bad reactions.

3. Arrive Early

It is important as part of your preparation; you ask your dentist about the arrival time. Leave home early so that you can be on time for your surgery. The dentist would like to prepare for your procedure adequately plus you will want to feel comfortable and relaxed before the surgery.

4. Be Prepared for Anaesthesia

The dentist or the oral surgeon may use one of the four types of anaesthesia depending on how complex the procedure is and your comfort level. Anaesthesia options include:

– Local Anaesthesia

For local anaesthesia, you will be awake during the procedure. However, you will only feel some pressure and movements but no pain. Local anaesthesia is administered through an injection near the area which the tooth is to be removed. Before the injection, your dentist is likely to apply a substance on your gums to numb them.

– Sedation Anaesthesia

Your oral surgeon or dentist will administer sedation anaesthesia through an intravenous (IV) line in your arms. This type of sedation suppresses your consciousness during the surgery. You won’t feel any pain, and you will have limited to no memory about the procedure. In addition, you will receive local anaesthesia to numb your gums.

– General Anaesthesia

General anaesthesia is only administered during special situations. It’s administered via an intravenous (IV) line in your arms or through your nose or both. You will lose consciousness immediately after the administration of this type of anaesthesia. Your medical team will then closely monitor your temperature, breathing, blood pressure and fluids. You will have absolute no memory of the procedure, and you will not feel any pain. Your dentist will also administer local anaesthesia to help with post-operative discomfort.

– Nitrous and Local

A fourth option available is the combination of local and nitrous oxide. This type of anaesthesia is mostly given to patients who are anxious. It is also a cheaper, effective and only takes minutes to recover from. If you feel anxious about the procedure, make sure that you discuss this option with your dentist.

Wisdom Tooth Extraction Procedure

Here is what to expect during the procedure

– Your dentist will first use anaesthesia on you so as to numb your mouth or suppress your consciousness during the surgery

– The dental surgeon will then make an opening in the gum so that the tooth and the bone can be exposed.

– If there is any bone that is blocking access to the root, the dentist will remove it

– The teeth will then be divided by two if it becomes difficult to remove

– The dentist will then remove the tooth

– The extraction site is then cleaned, and any debris remaining are removed

– The site is then stitched up

– A gauze is placed over the area to control bleeding and help the blood to clot

Aftercare Procedure

The recovery period after wisdom teeth extraction generally lasts for a few days. During this period, it is advisable that you rest as much as you can to encourage healing and take any prescribed pain medicine. After the surgery, here are some few tips you should follow to speed up your healing process.

1. Plan Ahead

Prepare yourself before heading to your oral surgeon. Talk with the surgeon on your expectations. He or she will offer you a list of guidelines on the wisdom teeth extraction procedure. Read the list in advance and go through anything that you doubt in before the surgery. Schedule your dental surgery appointment when you have a few days off from work for recovery following the extraction. Have someone to get you home after the surgery. You may also need someone to spend the rest of your off days after the procedure.

2. Maintain Your Head in a Position That is Elevated for the First Three Days

Keep your head elevated with pillows when sleeping so that your upper body is close to a 45-degree angle. This will give you a quick recovery from the surgery because blood volume and blood vessel tone near the wound change when you lie flat.

3. Do Not Drink Through Straws

It is essential that you avoid using straws while recovering from the tooth removal. Doing so could cause a dry socket which releases a blood clot due to the pressure from the straw.

4. Watch What You Eat

Stick to fluids right after the surgery and gradually add solid foods starting with softer foods. Avoid any spicy or hot foods.

5. Massage Your Masseter on Both Sides

Massage your jaw joint just before the opening of each ear. Massaging the area will help you have a speedy recovery because during surgery the dentist had your mouth wide open. This causes myofascial pain and cramped or sore masseter muscles. These are some of your chewing muscles.

6. Open Your Mouth

Your mouth may experience some stiffness after the surgery. This will make you feel like not opening your mouth. It is important that you do otherwise, the stiffness can become permanent. Do it slowly and gently especially the first time after the procedure.

7. Rinse Your Mouth Out with Salty Water

Create some mouth rinse out of warm water and salt. Rinse your mouth with the mixture severally during the day mostly after drinking or eating to reduce the pain and swelling.

8. Be Careful When Brushing Your Teeth

As always, it is very important to practice good oral hygiene, but with your mouth, in this state, it may be problematic. It is vital that you do it gently not to tamper with the healing wounds. Clean your teeth enough but do not overdo it.

9. Drink Cold Coconut Water until you can Eat Soft Foods

Coconut water stabilizes your blood chemistry and electrolytes and enables you to keep blood sugar stable until you can eat. This is necessary to speed up recovery from the wisdom teeth surgery.

10. Control Bleeding with Gauze and Tea Bags

Bite down on a piece of gauze to minimize bleeding. After 12 hours, you may consider switching to a damp tea bag. Tea leaves help in reducing pain and encourage blood clotting.

11. Rest as Much as Possible

You may want to go back to your normal life as soon as possible, but it is vital for your long-term healing to take things slowly. Relax as much as possible and do not exercise for at least a day. Wait for a few more days to undertake any strenuous activity or exercise.

Factors Affecting Wisdom Teeth Extraction Recovery Time.

Factors to be considered are those relating to the patient and the tooth. People respond differently to trauma. An injury that may result to a small bruise and discomfort in one person may cause dramatic swelling and pain in another. Additionally, the amount of care that a patient gives to their mouth before and right after the surgery is a factor to consider. An individual with a clean, healthy mouth with low levels of bacteria is less likely to suffer from a post-operative infection. The general health of an individual also influences the duration and rate of healing after the extraction. Elderly individuals with chronic health conditions such as bowel disorders, diabetes, respiratory illness, etc. may take longer to recover.

The amount of time a surgeon takes to extract a tooth has a great influence on recovery time. The longer a tooth extraction takes, the higher the degree of pain, swelling and recovery time will be. Another significant factor to consider is the bone texture. It is obvious that younger patients have softer bones which make extraction easier. As one gets old, the jaw bone hardens and becomes more difficult for extraction. This results in swelling which slows down recovery time. Postoperative infection is another factor to keep in mind. The severity and patient’s ability to fight the infection plays a big role in determining the length of recovery time. Dry socket is another serious factor that should not be ignored. It is an unpredictable inflammation that occurs in about 4% of teeth extraction. Dry socket delays the healing process of the wound by approximately two weeks or more.

Risks in Wisdom Teeth Extraction

– A long-lasting loss of feeling in the tongue, cheeks or lips that do not go away. It ranges from a feeling of being pinched with needles and pins to total numbness.

– Fracture of the jaw may occur when the surgeon removes a portion of the bone to easily access the impacted teeth.

– Bone splinters or root fragments may be left accidentally in the gum tissue.

– A painful and inflamed extraction area or exposure of the jaw bone especially when the post-surgical blood clot is lost from the socket.

– Damage may be caused to the nerves, sinuses, jawbone or neighbouring teeth.

– The socket may be infected by bacteria or food debris.

– There are potential risks and complications of anaesthesia such as heart attack and stroke.

– Delayed healing especially when one smokes before recovery.

Tips for staying comfortable During the Procedure

– Bring a friend who has ever had the procedure before

If you have a friend who has ever undertaken this procedure, it is good if you can have him/her accompany you to the surgery. Have him/her stand by your side or hold your hand. Parents are not always helpful in such situations

– Wear Comfortable Loose Clothing

If you intend to have an IV, short sleeves will be helpful. You can bring a blanket or heavy sweater because you get cold after the surgery. You would probably want your chest to be covered. You can also wear some loose sweatpants.

– Distract Yourself

Distracting yourself helps you to stop concentrating on what you might think is frightening. The best way for you to distract yourself is to carry earphones and listen to some music. The best music to listen to as you wait for your surgery is music that you don’t know.

When to Call the Dentist

Call your dentist or oral surgeon immediately if you notice any of the following signs that could indicate a nerve damage, infection or other serious complication.

– Excessive bleeding

– Fever

– Difficulty in swallowing or breathing

– Blood or pus on nasal discharge

– Severe pain that cannot be relieved by prescribed medication

– Persistent numbness or loss of feeling

– A bad taste in your mouth that cannot be removed by salt water rinsing

Bottom Line

Most people who undertake wisdom teeth removal do not experience any complications. Nonetheless, you should be well informed on what to expect so that you can adequately prepare yourself for the procedure. Visit your dentist or oral surgeon and ask all that you expect before, after and during the surgery. Take that opportunity to discuss the risks, and benefits and if there are any alternatives to the procedure. This will help you get the right information and make proper preparations.