Wisdom teeth extraction
Wisdom teeth, also known as moral third, owe their name because they are the last teeth to appear.
Wisdom teeth can be a problem for patients, especially those who are at the age when they are erupting, usually between 17 and 24 years old.
Wisdom teeth can erupt normally without giving any symptoms. But in many cases these erupt in a malposition, generally due to a lack of space in the jaw.
What is pericoronitis?
In certain cases in which the wisdom teeth erupt in a malposition, problems can occur such as pericoronitis, which is an inflammation and / or infection of the gum that covers the tooth, which can cause pain, bad breath, bad taste in the mouth and in more advanced cases fever.
These episodes can be treated with antibiotics but the infection may recur becoming chronic, being the treatment of choice extraction of wisdom teeth.
Does it hurt to have your wisdom teeth removed?
All extractions are performed under local anesthesia, so the patient will not feel pain. In cases of very fearful patients, there is also the possibility of doing conscious sedation with intravenous drugs administered by an anesthetist.
Is it always necessary to have them extracted?
No, wisdom teeth that do not have any pathology and do not interfere with the way of biting will not need to be removed.
In other cases, malposition of the wisdom teeth can damage the neighboring teeth, producing them caries, shifts and even ending losing both teeth.
Should we remove all four wisdom teeth or only the ones that cause problems?
Depending on the case, only those that present a problem or also for prevention can be extracted. When two wisdom teeth on the same side are erupted, that is, in the mouth, and one of them needs to be extracted, it is advisable to also extract the opposite one, to prevent it from extruding occupying the space left by the extracted one.
Does everybody have wisdom teeth?
No, there are people who have all 4 wisdom teeth in their mouths, others who have all 4 but they did not erupt, and others who can erupt some of them and others not, and other people who do not even have them or some of them.
How long does a wisdom tooth extraction procedure take?
It depends a lot on the position of the tooth and the complexity of the extraction. There are wisdom teeth that can be removed in 30 seconds and others that can take up to 1 hour.
Can all four wisdom teeth be extracted in the same intervention?
Yes, it is possible to extract all 4 teeth in the same intervention.
Why do wisdom teeth usually bother?
Wisdom teeth can cause problems and discomfort for different reasons. The most common is usually due to an inflammation and / or infection of the surrounding tissues, which is called pericoronitis. Other causes may be the accumulation of food debris due to being in a difficult cleaning position; for erupting in a bad position and impacting against neighboring teeth etc.
What are these molars for?
Wisdom teeth were perfectly functional in our ancestors who had broader jaws and had a paleolithic diet. As the human being evolved and with the change in diet, our jaws were narrowing more and more, preventing in many cases from having space in the mouth for their correct eruption. There are even many people who do not have any wisdom teeth.
How is the post-op?
It will depend a lot on the complexity of the extraction, the time it takes to perform it, the individual conditions of each one (some people are more prone to swelling and bruising than others) and the follow-up of postoperative guidelines, including the medication prescribed.
What care should be taken after the extraction of wisdom teeth?
It is important during the first hours to apply local cold to the external area intermittently.
During the first hours you should not drink hot food or drinks, to avoid bleeding. After a few hours you will be able to eat liquid and soft food but never hot during the first day.
In the following days you can eat any food that is not excessively hard so as not to damage the area.
Avoid smoking and intense exercise for a few days.
Avoid vigorous rinsing during the first hours, so as not to damage the formed clot and cause bleeding.
You may experience postoperative pain that usually subsides with prescribed medication.
In case of bleeding, you can take a compact dry gauze and apply it to the area and press with your mouth closed for about 20 minutes.
It is advisable to diagnose a possible problem in the wisdom teeth early, since their extraction is easier and with fewer postoperative complications at an early age in which the wisdom teeth are not fully formed.
