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Impacted Wisdom Teeth Removal

Wisdom tooth extraction is a surgical procedure to remove one or more wisdom teeth — the four permanent adult teeth located at the back corners of your mouth on the top and bottom.

If a wisdom tooth doesn't have room to grow (impacted wisdom tooth), resulting in pain, infection, or other dental problems, you'll likely need to have it pulled. A dentist or an oral surgeon may do a wisdom tooth extraction.

Some dentists and oral surgeons recommend wisdom tooth extraction to prevent potential future problems even if impacted teeth aren't currently causing problems.

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Your dentist may perform the procedure in the office. However, if your tooth is deeply impacted or if the extraction requires an in-depth surgical approach, your dentist may suggest you see an oral surgeon. In addition to making the area numb with a local anesthetic, your surgeon may suggest sedation to allow you to be more comfortable during the procedure.

Questions to ask: Questions you may want to ask your dentist or oral surgeon include:

  • How many wisdom teeth need to be removed?
  • What type of anesthesia will I receive?
  • How complicated do you expect the procedure to be?
  • How long is the procedure likely to last?
  • Have the impacted wisdom teeth caused damage to other teeth?
  • Is there a risk that I might have nerve damage?
  • What other dental treatments might I need at a later date?
  • How long does it take to heal and return to normal activity completely?

Preparing for surgery: A wisdom tooth extraction is almost always performed as an outpatient procedure. This means that you go home the same day.

You'll receive instructions from the hospital or dental clinic staff on what to do before the surgery and the day of your scheduled surgery. Ask these questions:

  • Will I need to arrange for someone to drive me home after the procedure?
  • When do I need to arrive at the dental clinic or hospital?
  • Do I need to avoid eating food, drinking fluids, or both (fast)? If so, when do I begin?
  • Can I take my prescription medications before the surgery? If so, how soon before the surgery can I take a dose?
  • Should I avoid any nonprescription drugs before the surgery?

Your oral surgeon may use one of the types of anesthesia (Local / General Anesthesia), depending on the expected complexity of the wisdom tooth extraction and your comfort level. A typical dis-impaction surgery may include the following steps:

  • Makes an incision in the gum tissue to expose the tooth and bone
  • Removes bone that blocks access to the tooth root
  • Divides the tooth into sections if it's easier to remove in pieces
  • Removes the tooth
  • Cleans the site of the removed tooth of any debris from the tooth or bone
  • Stitches the wound closed to promote healing, though this isn't always necessary
  • Places gauze over the extraction site to control bleeding and help a blood clot form.

As you heal from your surgery, follow your dentist's instructions on:

  • Bleeding. Some oozing of blood may occur the first day after wisdom tooth removal. Try to avoid excessive spitting so that you don't dislodge the blood clot from the socket. Replace gauze over the extraction site as directed by your dentist or oral surgeon.
  • Pain management. You may be able to manage pain with an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or a prescription pain medication from your dentist or oral surgeon. Prescription pain medication may be especially helpful if a bone has been removed during the procedure. Holding a cold pack against your jaw also may relieve pain.
  • Swelling and bruising. Use an ice pack as directed by your dentist or surgeon. Any swelling of your cheeks usually improves in two or three days. Bruising may take several more days to resolve.
  • Activity. After your surgery, plan to rest for the remainder of the day. Resume normal activities the next day, but for at least a week, avoid strenuous activity that might result in losing the blood clot from the socket.
  • Beverages. Drink lots of water after the surgery. Don't drink alcoholic, caffeinated, carbonated, or hot beverages in the first 24 hours. Don't drink with a straw for at least a week because the sucking action can dislodge the blood clot from the socket.
  • Food. Eat only soft foods, such as yogurt or applesauce, for the first 24 hours. Start eating semisoft foods when you can tolerate them. Avoid hard, chewy, hot, or spicy foods that might get stuck in the socket or irritate the wound.
  • Cleaning your mouth. Don't brush your teeth, rinse your mouth, spit or use mouthwash during the first 24 hours after surgery. Typically, you'll be told to resume brushing your teeth after the first 24 hours. Be particularly gentle near the surgical wound when brushing and gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water every two hours and after meals for a week.
  • Tobacco use. If you smoke, don't do so for at least 72 hours after surgery — and wait longer than that if possible. If you chew tobacco, don't use it for at least a week. Using tobacco products after oral surgery can delay healing and increase the risk of complications.
  • Stitches. You may have stitches that dissolve within a few weeks or no stitches at all. If your stitches need to be removed, schedule an appointment to take them out.

What are the benefits & complications of Impacted Wisdom Teeth Removal?

Benefits of Getting a wisdom tooth removed on time involve:

  • Less crowding means fewer orthodontic problems
  • Prevent damage to nearby teeth
  • Decrease the risk of oral disease and inflammation
  • Lessen oro-facial pain
  • Prevent cysts, tumors, and jaw damage

Rarely, complications can include:

  • Painful dry socket, or exposure of bone when the post-surgical blood clot is lost from the site of the surgical wound (socket)
  • Infection in the socket from bacteria or trapped food particles
  • Damage to nearby teeth, nerves, jawbone, or sinuses

Most wisdom tooth extractions don't result in long-term complications. However, removal of impacted wisdom teeth occasionally requires a surgical approach that involves making an incision in the gum tissue and removing bone.

Consult with our experienced Doctors

JNU is home to some of the most eminent doctors in the world, most of whom are pioneers in their respective arenas and are renowned for developing innovative and revolutionary procedures
Deen Dayal Gupta

Dr. Deen Dayal Gupta

Professor

Qualification

BDS, MDS 

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Raman Grover

Dr. Raman Grover

Associate Professor

Qualification

BDS, MDS

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Rahul Gupta

Dr. Rahul Gupta

Assistant Professor

Qualification

BDS, MDS

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