A wisdom tooth extraction is needed to deal with problems brought by an impacted wisdom tooth. Wisdom teeth are the third and fourth molars, which get impacted when they fail to grow out from under the gums in a normal way. A tooth that gets impacted grows sideways, and rubs painfully against the teeth beside it. An impacted wisdom tooth is also more susceptible to tooth decay and other dental problems, since it cannot be cleaned properly using regular tooth brushing techniques. This results to infection, abscess, and the presence of pus that needs to be drained immediately for long-lasting pain relief.
Procedure for Extracting a Wisdom Tooth
Images of the tooth and mouth area may need to be taken prior to the extraction, to make sure that no nerves will be touched or damaged with the extraction. The clear images will help the dentist or dental surgeon in pinpointing the exact location of the impacted tooth, since it cannot readily be seen from under the gum line.
The area where the impacted wisdom tooth is located will need to be numbed using anesthesia, prior to the actual tooth removal. This is necessary to ensure that the patient will not feel pain while the tooth is being removed. In cases when more than one wisdom tooth needs to be removed, the specific areas where the teeth are located will all need to be numbed.
The gums will need to be opened using an incision, so that the impacted tooth can be exposed before it can be removed.
Bone tissue and connective tissue around the impacted tooth will carefully be removed by the dentist before the tooth extraction.
The dentist will pull out the impacted tooth. There are cases when the entire tooth can be removed in one piece. If the tooth is in an abnormal or difficult position, it may need to be cut into smaller pieces so that every piece can successfully be removed.
Once the entire tooth is taken out, the gums will be closed with stitches that dissolve on their own in a matter of days.
Extra care should be observed after a wisdom tooth extraction. Strenuous physical activities should be avoided to prevent the extraction site from opening and bleeding. Only soft food items should be eaten while recovering from the extraction; hot items should be avoided to allow the blood to clot properly in the extraction site.