What to expect when getting your wisdom tooth removed
A wisdom tooth extraction is a surgical procedure to remove one or more of these teeth. A wisdom tooth needs to be removed if its impacted, or causes pain, infection, or other dental issues. An x-ray of your mouth is taken to assess the position of the tooth and its proximity to the dental nerve that runs in the jaw.
On the day of surgery
Anesthesia
Your dentist will inject you with a local anesthetic to numb the tooth and surrounding area before having your wisdom teeth removed. You ought to be able to leave for home on the same day as the operation.
Taking out wisdom tooth
If the tooth hasn’t broken through the gum yet, your dentist will make a small cut (incision) is made in the gum to gain access. The surrounding bone might also need to be slightly removed.
You might feel some pressure when the tooth is being extracted because the tooth socket is enlarged by the back-and-forth rotating movement of the tooth. However, you won’t experience any pain during the removal as the tooth and surrounding area will be numb.
Duration of extraction
The duration of tooth removal can vary from 5-20 minutes, depending on the extent of the case difficulty.
Following surgery
If an incision was made, your dentist will place resorbable stitches that will dissolve in usually 7 to 10 days. Gauze will be placed over the extraction site by your dentist.
You will be instructed to bite your jaws together for up to an hour to apply pressure to the area so a blood clot forms in the empty tooth socket, which will initiate the healing. In case of an ongoing infection, antibiotics may occasionally be advised.
Aftercare Instructions
Following wisdom tooth extraction, you should refrain from drinking alcohol, smoking, and drinking hot beverages for the first 24 hours and avoid any vigorous exercise.
