The Troublesome Wisdom Tooth
The evolution of life has made the third set of molars in the mouth redundant due to advancements in agriculture and the diet of humans. The 3rd molars often called wisdom teeth or teeth which often appear during late adolescence and adulthood. Wisdom tooth pain often presents when there isn’t enough space for the tooth and as such could cause damage to surrounding teeth, impinge on nerves and serve as a collection site for food so the risk of tooth decay increases.
Why Do Wisdom Teeth need to be removed?
The propulsion of the wisdom teeth to break through the gum has its consequences especially if there isn’t enough room for the tooth to fit causing structural defects to the second molar tooth and by extension the drifting of the rest of your teeth
As mentioned, decay is another major problem. When new wisdom teeth knock the others off balance, it creates small spaces and slightly misaligns the jaw. This, in turn, alters biting and chewing. Food and other debris can get trapped inside cavities, significantly increasing the risk of decay and further dental problems later on in life.
With all the problems mentioned above the dentist after a thorough history and radiographic investigation may recommend a wisdom tooth removal procedure if needed. Please note that not all wisdom tooth or teeth need to be removed and that means that a duly qualified oral surgeon should be sought before going ahead with the procedure.
There are many causes of tooth decay, here are the most common ones
Before the procedure
- An oral exam would be conducted,
- Radiographic investigation of the tooth is carried out
- A comprehensive medical check is carried out on the patient
- The oral and maxillofacial surgeon would discuss with the patient about the various sedation techniques available either local or general anesthetic. The type of sedation is most times dependent on the complexity of the procedure and adequate pre-instructions would be given for any type of the sedation to be used.
During procedure
During the procedure, your surgeon would:
- Make an incision
- Remove any bone obstacle
- Removal of the wisdom tooth
- Thoroughly clean the area
- Control bleeding and suture
After procedure
Post-op instructions would be given
You will experience some bleeding, bruising and transient swelling in the first few days after surgery so be sure to follow all recommendations of the surgeon closely especially when it comes to pain management…