What to Expect During Your Wisdom Tooth Extraction: A Step-by-Step Guide
If your dentist has recommended that you have your wisdom teeth removed, you may wonder what you should expect. Our oral surgeon in Melbourne, FL, performs wisdom tooth extraction and is glad to provide you with a step-by-step guide to wisdom tooth extraction.
Wisdom teeth usually “erupt” through the gums when a person is between 17 and 25. Sometimes, they don’t erupt correctly and come up at the wrong angle or place in your jaw. At other times, they don’t erupt or cause pain and overcrowding. In these cases, an oral surgeon can remove the wisdom teeth.
Step-by-Step Guide to Having Wisdom Teeth Removed
Sedation to keep you comfortable
You may receive some form of sedation just before having your wisdom teeth removed. Sedation will help keep you comfortable during the procedure.
Types of sedation used for the removal of wisdom teeth include:
- Nitrous oxide – also known as “laughing gas” or N.O.- helps you relax without falling asleep. It is provided through a mask you wear on your nose and can be used alongside other types of dental sedation.
- Oral sedation – a pill or liquid that you take about an hour before wisdom tooth extraction; you will feel drowsy but be able to follow instructions and ask questions.
- IV sedation – intravenous (IV) sedation provides a sedative through a needle in your arm; you may fall asleep but be awake enough for questions and instructions.
Your oral surgeon will also rub topical anesthesia on your gums or inject local anesthesia into the gums to numb the treatment area.
The wisdom tooth removal procedure
Expose the wisdom tooth
If some or all of your wisdom teeth have not erupted through your gums, your oral surgeon must make a small incision to expose and access those wisdom teeth. Your oral surgeon will not need to make these incisions if your wisdom teeth have erupted enough for the oral surgeon to remove them.
Loosen and remove the wisdom tooth or teeth
If a wisdom tooth is well and intact, your oral surgeon can easily lift it from its socket. Sometimes, a wisdom tooth must be broken up before extraction. This is especially true if the tooth is impacted, which means it is not erupting entirely through the gum tissue. An oral surgeon sometimes removes some bone to extract a wisdom tooth.
Stitch up the gums
After removing a wisdom tooth, the oral surgeon will stitch the gums to prevent bleeding, keep the wound clean, reduce the risk of infection, and promote healing. These stitches are usually dissolvable, so you won’t have to make an extra trip to your oral surgeon to have the stitches removed.
Apply pressure to stop the bleeding
Your oral surgeon will then apply gauze to the extraction area or areas to help control bleeding. They will ask you to bite down on the gauze, which applies pressure to the extraction site to encourage clotting. Your oral surgeon will likely recommend that you continue biting down on the gauze and keep it in place for 15 to 30 minutes.
Having your wisdom teeth removed takes about an hour. Your oral surgeon may have you wait a while to go home so their team can monitor your recovery.
Your oral surgeon will provide instructions to control bleeding, promote healing, and comfort you.
Recovery from Wisdom Tooth Extraction
You will need to rest for the remainder of the day. Take pain medication as directed by your oral surgeon; over-the-counter pain medication may be enough, although your oral surgeon may prescribe something more substantial if necessary. You may experience discomfort for about 24 hours following the procedure.
Use ice to reduce any swelling you may experience. After removing your wisdom teeth, you may have a puffy face for a few days.
You can usually return to light activities the day following your procedure. Avoid any activity that raises your heart rate and blood pressure, as this may interfere with healing.
It will take about 2 weeks to fully recover from having your wisdom teeth out. Your recovery time will depend mainly on the number of wisdom teeth removed, the complexity of your case, and how well you heal.
Your Oral Surgeon in Melbourne, FL, Offers Wisdom Tooth Extraction
For more information on what to expect during your wisdom tooth extraction, contact Sedaros Oral Facial Surgery & Dental Implants. Our oral surgeon in Melbourne, FL, focuses on our patients’ oral health needs and comfort through state-of-the-art surgeries that improve their lives and smiles.