When you’re a child, you expect to lose teeth. It’s part of the growing process. As an adult, however, we are blessed with sometimes too many permanent teeth, and your dentist may recommend that you have your wisdom teeth removed.
What are the Wisdom Teeth?
Your wisdom teeth are a third set of molars that erupt at the very back of your mouth normally between a person’s ages of 17 and 25. Most people have four—two on the top, and two on the bottom. The problem arises when your mouth doesn’t have room for these teeth to either emerge or develop properly. This is what we call “impacted” wisdom teeth.
What Does Impacted Mean?
When your wisdom teeth cause pain, are coming in wrong directions or positions, push or cause damage to other teeth, or create other dental problems, they are considered impacted, and it is best to have them removed by an oral surgeon. Even if they are not impacted, your dentist may sometimes recommend removal to help preserve your other teeth. Wisdom teeth can be hard to clean and are susceptible to tooth decay and gum disease.
Wisdom Teeth Removal
Here at Advanced Family Dentistry, Dr. Sonny Kim will evaluable your overall medical condition along with a close inspection of your wisdom teeth, x-rays, and a review of your dental records, and provide recommendations for removal.
Wisdom teeth removal is a surgical procedure performed under anesthesia. If the teeth have not emerged, the oral surgeon will remove the tissue above the tooth, loosen and extract the tooth either wholly or in pieces, and sew up the socket with stitches.
The procedure of wisdom teeth removal itself is not painful. Patients can choose from three types of anesthesia, ranging from a local to being put to sleep for the procedure, depending upon their comfort level and the difficulty of the surgery.
The patient will receive instructions on post-surgery care and what (or what not) to eat. Pain medication may be prescribed.
When having your wisdom teeth removed, recovery is quick—generally within 7 days. However, there is a slight risk of complications, including:
- Dry socket – a painful condition where a blood clot becomes dislodged and causes exposure of the bone and nerves beneath the socket.
- Irritated nerves – any surgery disrupts your normal rhythm, and you may feel nerve sensitivity for a short while.
- Sinus problems – the wisdom teeth are very close to the sinus cavities, and you may feel discomfort in your sinus areas following removal.
- Infection – with proper post-surgery care, you can help prevent infection, but there’s always a slight risk involved.
Contact Advanced Family Dentistry in Reston, VA to talk about Wisdom Teeth Removal
We’re glad to speak with you about all your dental needs—including wisdom teeth removal. It’s not as scary as it sounds!
Advanced Family Dentistry is located in Reston, VA. Contact us to schedule your dental appointment.
Dr. Sonny Kim is a Diplomat of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICOI), the highest education level for general dentists in this field.
Advanced Family Dentistry
Dr. Sonny Kim, DMD
11876 Sunrise Valley Dr., Suite 101
Reston, VA 20191
Phone: 703.390.9191
Email: drsonnykim@gmail.com
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