Wisdom teeth can cause pain and nerve damage when lack of space in your mouth prevents the teeth from fully erupting through your gums. Wisdom teeth removal can be performed by your dentist or by an oral surgeon. Removal may be recommended even before the teeth become a problem to avoid further dental issues, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Identification
Wisdom teeth make up the third set of molars and are located in the upper and lower jaw at the back of your existing molars. If there is enough room in your mouth, wisdom teeth begin to break through the gums when you are in your late teens. When your jaw is not large enough to accommodate the molars, they may be unable to erupt and may begin to grow at an angle below the gum line. Wisdom teeth that are unable to break through the gums are referred to as "impacted" wisdom teeth.
Reasons for Removal
Wisdom teeth are removed when they are impacted or only partially erupted. When wisdom teeth only partially emerge through the gum line, bacteria can enter the area around the tooth and cause an infection, according to the American Dental Association. Even if wisdom teeth are fully erupted, they may be crooked and may push against other teeth, damaging them or causing misalignment. In some cases, cysts form around wisdom teeth, causing damage to the jawbone and nearby nerves and teeth.
Diagnosis
X-rays taken during regular dental examinations will reveal the position of your wisdom teeth. If it is clear that there is no room in your mouth for these extra molars, or that fully or partially erupted wisdom teeth are affecting other teeth, your dentist may recommend removal of the wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth removal is easier when you are younger and the tooth roots are not fully developed. When roots are fully developed, they can rest on or near nerves, making removal more difficult.
Removal
Removal is performed by your dentist or an oral surgeon. The procedure may take place as an in-office procedure or as an out-patient procedure at a hospital or surgical center. Numbing injections are placed in the mouth prior to the beginning of the procedure. You may also receive an intravenous sedative or an oral sedative. In some cases, nitrous oxide, also called "laughing gas," may be used.
Dentists remove fully erupted teeth by pulling the teeth. If wisdom teeth are fully or partially impacted, the removal process is more difficult. The dentist makes an incision in the gums to reach a wisdom tooth and removes the layer of bone preventing the tooth from erupting. He may break the tooth into several pieces to minimize bone removal, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Depending on the amount of cutting involved, stitches may be placed in the gums after extraction.
Recovery
Pain and recovery time may vary, depending on the difficulty of the tooth extraction. If your teeth were fully erupted, you can expect to experience less pain than if teeth were impacted. Your dentist may prescribe prescription pain medication or may recommend over-the-counter pain relievers. Swelling and bleeding from the tooth sockets may occur following wisdom teeth removal. Ice applied to the cheek will help relieve swelling. Your dentist may caution you against drinking with a straw, drinking hot liquids or smoking after wisdom teeth extraction, as these activities can cause a dry socket. A dry socket is a painful condition that occurs when the blood clot that forms over the extraction site is dislodged, exposing the site to air.
