What’s The Deal With Wisdom Teeth?
Approximately 5 million people have their wisdom teeth removed every year. That’s an astounding statistic that proves the prevalence of this somewhat “coming of age” procedure.
At Galleria of Smiles, we regularly see patients in need of wisdom teeth removal. As often as we can, we’ll try to take care of your teeth before you experience any uncomfortable symptoms.
Learn more about wisdom teeth below, then call our Tulsa, OK office to schedule a consultation.
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
Chances are, you’ve heard about wisdom teeth removal, but how much do you really know about the teeth themselves? Wisdom teeth are the last set of molars to come in, usually in your late teens or early twenties.
In some cases, wisdom teeth can be a beneficial asset to your mouth, but more often they come in crooked or cause other problems that call for them to be removed.
Why Do Wisdom Teeth Need To Be Removed?
Misaligned wisdom teeth are either positioned horizontally, angled toward or away from your second molars, or angled inward or outward. Any of those positions are bad news for the rest of your teeth, your nerves, and your jawbone.
The most common reasons our patients need to have their wisdom teeth removed include:
- Pain or discomfort caused by your wisdom teeth
- Your wisdom teeth are impacted
- They’re coming in at an angle
- They’ve only partially erupted
- You don’t have enough room along your jaw for another set of molars
Wisdom Tooth Removal: What To Expect
No matter what reason, at Galleria of Smiles we can take care of your wisdom teeth. We’ll have them removed and your symptoms alleviated in no time at all. At our office, we can take care of simple and more complex wisdom teeth removals, saving you a trip to a specialist.
We will make sure you’re completely comfortable throughout your procedure, with the help of local anesthesia and dental sedation. We’ll make sure you’re relaxed and comfortable before beginning the process of removing your wisdom teeth.
Typically, wisdom teeth removal takes up to an hour and a half. Keep in mind, if a sedative is used for your procedure, you will need someone to drive you home after. Once your procedure is over, we will send you home with special instructions for recovery.
Wisdom Teeth Removal Recovery
How quickly you recover from the procedure depends entirely on how complex the extraction was. It usually takes 2-3 days to recover completely. In the first 24 hours, you can expect several symptoms.
First and foremost, don’t be alarmed if you notice some bleeding. Bleeding is normal for several hours after tooth extraction. To control the bleeding, we recommend you place a piece of clean, moist gauze over the area and bite down. Bite down to apply pressure for about 45 minutes. You can also use a moistened tea bag instead of gauze. Repeat this process as needed and contact us if heavy bleeding continues.
You should avoid rinsing your mouth or spitting for the first 24 hours. It’s also a good idea to avoid any sucking actions and hot liquids as they can cause the clot to come loose and a dry socket to develop.
In most cases, we will send you home with some pain medication to help control any discomfort you may feel. You will likely experience facial swelling. To minimize swelling, use a cold pack on the area for 10 minutes then remove it for 20 minutes and repeat as needed.
You should maintain your normal oral hygiene habits. Brush and floss your teeth as you normally would, just be sure to avoid the area where your wisdom teeth were extracted.
Learn More About Wisdom Teeth Removal Today
To learn more about wisdom teeth removal, call our Tulsa, OK office today. Call (918) 999-0142 or contact us online to schedule a consultation. During your consultation, we will get a better idea of whether your wisdom teeth need to be removed and to what degree. You’re in good hands with our specialists at our Tulsa, OK office so don’t wait another day to call. We look forward to hearing from you!