Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Benefit and Description:  Wisdom teeth are removed to prevent crowding of the back teeth and swollen, painful gums.  Your jaw may not be large enough to accommodate your wisdom teeth, and they may become impacted and unable to break through the gums.  Sometimes wisdom teeth break through the gums only part of the way causing surrounding gum tissue to grow over them.  Food and bacteria can become trapped under this flap of tissue possibly leading to infection.  Other problems can also occur when wisdom teeth come in at an awkward angle causing damage to surrounding teeth and bone.

Treatment:  To remove a wisdom tooth, the tissue connecting the tooth to the bone is removed, and then the tooth is removed in one or more pieces.  After the tooth is removed you may need stitches.  A gauze pad is also placed over the extraction site to help stop bleeding.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• How long is my recovery period after wisdom teeth extraction?  In most cases recovery only takes a few days.  Taking pain medication as prescribed and following home care instructions will reduce you recovery time.