What To Expect When Having Wisdom Teeth Extracted

Having wisdom teeth extracted can be one of the major dental procedures that you may have to go through during your life. Not surprisingly, individuals that are needing to have their wisdom teeth extracted may feel uncomfortable with scheduling this procedure until they learn more about the need for this extraction and what the procedure and recovery will involve.

Will A Patient Only Need To Have Their Wisdom Teeth Removed If They Are Experiencing Pain?

While there are some individuals that may be able to go without having their wisdom teeth extracted, this is a procedure that can provide numerous benefits for many people. For example, it is common for individuals that are having their wisdom teeth emerge to experience alignment problems due to the wisdom teeth crowding the mouth. As an added risk, wisdom teeth can become impacted, and this could greatly increase the risk of it becoming infected or even developing an abscess.  

What Should You Expect From The Anesthesia That Is Used For The Wisdom Tooth Removal?

Anesthesia is an essential tool when a patient is undergoing a wisdom tooth extraction procedure. In many instances, these patients will have both general anesthesia as well as a local one administered prior to their wisdom tooth extraction procedure. While these medications can dull the patient's senses so that they will not experience as much discomfort during the extraction, they can take some time to fully wear off. Until this occurs, the patient will be unable to safely drive. For this reason, you may want to arrange for a loved one to drive you on the day of your wisdom tooth extraction procedure or you may want to be prepared to use a taxi or ride-share service. Otherwise, you may have to wait several hours before you will be able to safely drive yourself home.

How Difficult Will The Recovery From The Wisdom Tooth Extraction Procedure Be?

During your recovery from the wisdom tooth extraction procedure, you will want to be diligent about keeping the wounds as clean as possible. This can reduce the risk of the extraction sites becoming infected as this could be extremely painful for the patient while also greatly slowing their recovery. Furthermore, a patient may need to manage the swelling that could occur over the days immediately after the wisdom teeth are extracted. Using a cold compress and taking anti-inflammatory medications can often be sufficient for keeping the swelling to a minimum.

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