Wisdom Teeth Removal: 5 Things You Need to Know
All of the four third permanent molars are referred to as wisdom teeth and more often than not, they can cause some serious discomfort and pain. While a few visits to your local Barrie dentist will likely take care of any wisdom tooth related issues you might be experiencing, it still pays to know a few things about the situation before you actually decide to remove the tooth.
Not All Wisdom Teeth Need to be Removed
There are certain signs of a troublesome wisdom tooth and they are as follows:
- The tooth is growing sideways or at an awkward angle
- It’s only half grown
- There’s no more room in your mouth for wisdom teeth anymore
On the other hand, if your molar is growing straight, there’s no significant pain and there’s ample room in your mouth for the tooth to come out comfortably, you don’t need to remove the molar at all.
Partial Sedation is Better than Full Anaesthesia
Pulling a wisdom tooth is a relative simple dental procedure and you don’t need to be unconscious while it is done. It is better if you opt for local anaesthesia and N2O to take care of the pain while the dentist is at it. However, in case you are particularly squeamish about blood and the sound of operating equipment working in your mouth, full anaesthesia is an option. Also keep in mind that full anaesthesia is significantly more expensive than local sedatives.
One Tooth at a Time
It might be tempting to get the problem over with once and for all, but it is recommended that you resist the temptation, unless they are all equally urgent. Taking it slow will give your body the time it needs to heal from each of the operations and the associated expenses won’t seem so big when spread out over a longer period of time. A point to keep in mind is if you are going to be fully anesthetised, it is a better and cheaper option to get them all pulled at once because four separate full anaesthesia sessions are neither good for the pocket, nor the body.
Get Evaluated Before It Starts Hurting
Whether it’s you or your child, a dentist can usually tell if a patient is going to have a painful wisdom tooth later from their teeth structure. The earlier you get evaluated, the easier and less painful your experience will be. This holds even more true in case of children as the roots in small children are still soft and immature, making for easy removal of teeth than in an adult.
Plan
Someone who has just had a wisdom tooth pulled will need a few days of recovery time, so plan ahead. If it’s a child, summer or winter vacations are perfect opportunities for the procedure and if the patient has a job, it might make sense to apply for at least a few day’s leave for the process and the recovery.
Now that you know all that there is to know about wisdom tooth removal, you are already better equipped to deal with the situation than most people. Do remember that emergencies change usual modes of operation. If you cannot stand the pain, don’t wait for previously made plans to visit the dentist and do not hesitate to get multiple teeth pulled in one go.
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