Wisdom Teeth Extractions

Tooth extractions might seem like the scariest of dental treatments, but it’s actually a relatively simple procedure. It’s one of the most common procedures, with over 80,000 people a year having their wisdom teeth removed in the UK.

Most adults have 32 teeth, including 4 wisdom teeth. These wisdom teeth will come through usually in your late teens and twenties. However, sometimes they don’t come through properly or don’t event come out at all. Problems occur with wisdom teeth coming out properly (which is known as being impacted), causing the patient a lot of pain and needing to be removed. Wisdom teeth extractions are one of the most common dental treatments at SA Benson dental surgery.

What happens if they don’t emerge properly?

Wisdom teeth can cause the accumulation of food and bacteria, trapped between the wisdom teeth and gum. This can lead to the build up of plaque which develops into a wide variety of dental problems such as tooth decay, gum disease and more. Simply brushing your teeth cannot prevent this happening, as the wisdom teeth create an area which cannot be reached by brushing alone.
Wisdom teeth that emerge at the incorrect angle can put pressure on your other teeth and jaw bone, causing pain and discomfort. This problem will only get worse over time, and the only solution is to have the wisdom teeth removed.

How are wisdom teeth removed?

Initially your dentist will give you an examination, making sure that it’s the wisdom teeth causing your dental problems, and not something like decay or infection. If you do have an infection, your wisdom teeth extraction will often have to be delayed, whilst you let a course of antibiotics do their work to clear it up.

When the teeth are ready to be removed its quite a simple process. The teeth will be numbed using a local anaesthetic, so you don’t feel any pain and to make the procedure as comfortable as possible.

To remove the tooth, your dentist will have to separate the tissue and bone connecting to your tooth before it can be removed. Some teeth may be difficult for your dentist to remove, and will have to be broken into smaller pieces which are removed separately. Usually it’s a simple case of pulling out one tooth, where your dentist will widen the tooth socket by moving the tooth back and forth, loosening up the tooth before extracting it out.

After the tooth is removed you might need stitches, most stitches used are ones which will dissolve over time so there is no need to have them removed. Your dentist might give you painkillers, antibiotics and mouthwash to help with the aftercare. You might experience some swelling and a dull ache for a few days after the procedure, which is completely normal and nothing to worry about. If you do have any concerns about how you’re feeling, please get in touch with your dentist.

How do I know if I need my wisdom teeth removed?

If you are experiencing pain and discomfort from your wisdom teeth, you should certainly get your dentist to check them over. Most of the time your dentist will need to carry out an x-ray on your mouth, to accurately see the position of your teeth. Sometimes you might not even think you have a wisdom tooth problem, as you cannot see or feel the teeth as they haven’t emerged yet.