Most patients plan their wisdom tooth removal in advance with the help of their dentist and/or oral surgeon. However, some patients require an emergency wisdom tooth extraction. This process can be scary and overwhelming, especially for patients who don’t know what to expect. In this article, we’ll explain what happens during an emergency wisdom tooth extraction- and how to tell if you might need one.
Why Are Wisdom Teeth Removed?
Firstly, it’s important to understand why we remove wisdom teeth in the first place. After all, wisdom teeth are just a third set of molars. Why can’t they remain in the mouth? The issue for most patients is jaw size. Simply put, our mouths don’t usually have the space to accommodate extra molars. This means that if molars attempt to grow in, they can press on other parts of the mouth, causing pain, infection, and even changes to the tooth alignment.
Why Are Wisdom Tooth Extractions Planned?
Dentists prefer to plan for wisdom tooth removals before the teeth emerge in the patient’s mouth. This way, the patient can avoid any potential issues when the teeth grow in. In addition, early surgery means the wisdom tooth roots are often less developed, which leads to easier surgery.
Who Needs an Emergency Wisdom Tooth Extraction?
As we mentioned, wisdom teeth can often cause pain while they are growing. This pain can be quite severe and even lead to infections. Therefore, intense oral pain or other dental issues from wisdom teeth will often lead to an emergency wisdom tooth extraction. This allows dentists to remove the teeth and treat the dental issues before they can progress.
What Happens During the Procedure?
During an emergency wisdom tooth extraction, your oral surgeon will give you medications to numb your mouth and help you relax. You will not feel any pain or anxiety after these medications start working. Then, they will remove the wisdom teeth and carefully close the surgery site using stitches. After, you will be sent home with pain medications and care instructions. While it can feel overwhelming, your surgeon will work hard to make sure you are comfortable. Plus, you will begin to feel relief from your symptoms as soon as you heal from the surgery.
Wisdom Tooth Removal in Cypress
Rock Creek Oral Surgery offers expert wisdom tooth removal close to home. Call (832) 930-7801 to learn more.