Wisdom teeth are usually the last to erupt in your mouth and
can cause crowding or food pockets which lead to undesired gum infections. About 35% of the population never develops
wisdom teeth at all.[1]
For those that do, it is often
recommended that people from the ages 17 to 25[2]
will need to have this extraction. Contrary to a lot of practices we judge each
patient on a case by case basis. If your
wisdom teeth are not causing any noticeable problems, then it may be difficult
to determine whether to have them removed to prevent future problems.[3] It is quite possible that you may never have
any problems. On the other hand it is
also possible their failure to erupt could result in problems like cysts,
crowding, decay or hygiene issues.[4]
Many general dentists will attempt to extract a wisdom tooth. Yet 90% of the time we refer out to one of
our participating oral surgeons. The
procedure can be done in the office and most of the time that is the case. However, it is possible that you could have
the surgery in the hospital. If the
latter is the case, you may be at a higher risk for complications, so in the
oral surgeon’s judgment, the use of a hospital is purely for precautionary measures.
As a part of the procedure, the tooth and the surrounding
tissue are numbed with a local anesthetic prior to having the extraction. Some people prefer to use nitrous oxide (“laughing
gas”). In some cases, there is the use
of a mild sedation, where the patient is still conscious but truly unaware of
the procedure. It is even possible that
you receive general anesthesia. If you
decide to use the nitrous or sedation dentistry then you will need someone to
drive you home following the procedure.
The recovery time is usually 12 to 24 hours of rest, but usually no more
than 48 hours.
One of the more notable post procedure recommendations is
not to use a straw to drink. The sucking
through the straw may dislodge the blood clot formed in the socket area and
delay the healing process.
If you feel you are a candidate for wisdom teeth removal, or
we can be of service, please feel free to contact us for a complimentary
consultation.
Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC
290 Carpenter Drive, 200A
Atlanta (Sandy Springs), GA 30328
404-256-3620
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· Dentist
Sandy Springs: Why you might be better off seeing a Prosthodontist
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[1] http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/parts/no-wisdom-teeth2.htm.
[2] http://www.aaoms.org/wisdom_teeth.php,
Wisdom Teeth, American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
Retrieved 2011-26-08. "This generally occurs between the ages of 17 and
25".
[3]
The Right Smile Center doesn’t push to have them extracted, we recommend you
read up on the subject at http://www.aaoms.org/wisdom_teeth.php,
to help make the final decision. Please
remember that an oral surgeon is going to have a bias towards removal.
[4] Pediatric
Dentistry: Infancy Through Adolescence, 4th Edition.
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