Wisdom teeth are a third set of molars, which aren't necessary for chewing or speaking. In some cases, they don’t cause problems and thus don’t need to be removed. However, most of the time, they will need to be removed.
Why Most Wisdom Teeth Need to Be Removed
Usually, our goal is to preserve your natural teeth as much as possible, so you may wonder why this isn’t the case with wisdom teeth. The truth is, most wisdom teeth need to be extracted because there isn’t enough room in the mouth for them. The following issues are also likely to cause complications:
- They may not break through your gums or jawbone.
- They may not come in at the right angle, pushing against the other teeth in your mouth.
- They’re more difficult to brush and floss, leaving you vulnerable to cavities and disease.
If your wisdom teeth ever start hurting you, we will need to pull them out.
What to Expect During Wisdom Teeth Removal
If your wisdom teeth need to be removed, we’ll give you anesthesia before pulling them. Typically, it’s best to pull all four of them at once since this minimizes the amount of time you need to miss school or work. If the process needs to be broken up into multiple appointments, we’ll let you know.
While this is an outpatient procedure, it will lead to bleeding. We’ll provide you with gauze to keep pressure on the holes. You'll want to abstain from brushing for the first 24 hours. As well, avoid drinking with a straw for several days. You should stick with soft foods for the first 24 hours. You can begin adding hard and spicy foods as they become tolerable.
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