Wisdom Teeth Extraction

What is wisdom tooth extraction?

Wisdom tooth extraction is a procedure designed to remove one or more wisdom teeth — the four permanent molars at the back of your mouth. 

Your wisdom teeth are the last teeth to come in. Because of this, they’re at a higher risk of becoming impacted. Left untreated, impacted wisdom teeth may cause infection, pain, or other dental problems.

What problems can an impacted wisdom tooth cause?

If you have an impacted wisdom tooth, it means there’s not enough room in your mouth for it to emerge and develop normally. Over time, impaction leads to a variety of telltale signs and symptoms including: 

• Pain
• Infection
• Tooth decay
• Tooth damage
• Formation of cysts

An impacted wisdom tooth can also complicate orthodontic treatment and make straightening your teeth more challenging. 

What happens during a wisdom tooth extraction?

Dr. Vu performs wisdom tooth extractions on-site in the state-of-the-art offices at ToothScaler Dental. Prior to your procedure, he administers local anesthesia with one or more shots near the site of each wisdom tooth. 

After the anesthesia sets in, Dr. Vu carefully makes an incision in your gum tissue, exposing the tooth and bone. Next, he removes any bone blocking access to your tooth root and divides your tooth into sections for easy removal. 

Next, Dr. Vu removes each section of your tooth and cleans out the socket with an antiseptic solution. Afterward, he stitches the treatment area closed and places gauze over the extraction site to prevent bleeding. Last, but not least, Dr. Vu provides you with a list of recovery instructions. He also prescribes pain medication and antibiotics to limit your risk of infection. 

What is recovery like following a wisdom tooth extraction?

Wisdom tooth extraction is safe and generally well tolerated. However, in the first few days after treatment, it’s perfectly normal to experience pain, swelling, and general discomfort. Take your medications as prescribed and use an ice pack as necessary. In addition, it’s important you drink plenty of fluids and only eat soft foods for the first 24 hours. 

If you experience difficulty swallowing, excessive bleeding, or fever at any time during your recovery, contact Dr. Vu and the team at ToothScaler Dental right away. 

For appointment information, call ToothScaler Dental at (408) 262-6301.