The wisdom teeth usually erupt during either the late teens or early adulthood. This is long after the other teeth have already appeared in the mouth, and as a result, the lack of space can cause the wisdom teeth to become partially or completely impacted. If your wisdom teeth are causing you pain or can’t erupt properly in your mouth, call Dr. Crofoot at Cornerstone Dental of Rexburg today; we can remove the teeth that are causing you problems and keep the rest of your smile safe.
The wisdom teeth are a third set of molars that come in between the ages of 17 and 25. For early humans, wisdom teeth may have played an important role in helping them chew tougher foods. Today, though, wisdom teeth are not needed for the mouth to function properly, and more often than not there’s not enough room in the mouth for them to erupt correctly. That’s why removing them is considered the best course of action if they’re causing discomfort or harming healthy teeth.
Not everybody needs to have their wisdom teeth taken out, but extraction is recommended if they’re either currently causing problems or are likely to cause problems in the future. Some of the most common signs that wisdom teeth need to come out include:
The method for extracting wisdom teeth depends on the circumstances. If the tooth is clearly visible in the mouth, we can use a dental instrument called an elevator to loosen it before removing it from your jaw with dental forceps. For impacted wisdom teeth, we first need to make an incision in the gums. Once we have access to the tooth, we may divide it into sections so that it is easier to remove. Your mouth will be numbed for the extraction process to help you stay comfortable.
A piece of gauze will be placed over the surgical site(s) to reduce bleeding and allow a blood clot to form. When you get home, take any antibiotics or pain relievers that you were prescribed. Use a cold compress to reduce any swelling, but be sure not to apply it to your jaw for more than 20 minutes at a time.
You need to keep your mouth clean during the healing process. It’s okay to brush your teeth, but try to avoid the surgical sites so that you don’t dislodge the blood clots. As for meals, plan on a liquid diet for the first few days before moving on to soft foods. You can start incorporating more foods back into your diet when your mouth is feeling normal.
A wisdom tooth extraction is the first type of oral surgery that most people experience, so it’s no surprise that we get a lot of questions about it! Thankfully, we have all the time in the world to share whatever information you need to put you or your child’s mind at ease. To make things easy, we’ve gone ahead and answered some popular questions below—be sure to give us a call if you’d like to ask something else!
While the majority of people need to have their wisdom teeth removed, there are some cases where we can leave them alone. If the teeth come in normally and don’t cause any problems, then they can stay. Interestingly enough, there is also an increasing number of people who never get their wisdom teeth in the first place. All in all, we’ll keep an eye on your wisdom teeth during your checkups so we can let you know when (or if) they should be extracted.
Not when Dr. Crofoot does it! Thanks to his years of experience in addition to modern methods that involve using local anesthetic and even sedation if necessary, most patients report feeling very little during the procedure. You might notice some pressure or movement within your mouth, but nothing that resembles pain. Some soreness and swelling are common afterward, but these are typically minor and can be easily managed with medication.
We recommend that everyone use the rest of the day after their procedure to relax, as too much activity can interfere with the clotting process. This is an essential first step of recovery. If your job mostly involves you sitting all day, then you can likely return to work right away. However, if your day-to-day routine is more physical, it may be wise to take two or three days off of work. This will allow more time for a strong clot to form. Before your procedure, Dr. Crofoot will discuss this with you so you can plan accordingly.
Yes, most dental insurance plans offer at least partial coverage for wisdom tooth extractions. The exact percentage will vary from policy to policy. We’ll look over your benefits ahead of the procedure so you know what you’ll be expected to pay out of pocket from the beginning. We can also discuss financing options using CareCredit or LendingClub that allow patients to space out paying for the treatment with little to no interest.