When Is Wisdom Tooth Removal Necessary?

Wisdom teeth are teeth located at the back of your mouth and are referred to as third molars. They are the last to grow and usually are in 2 pairs; 1 wisdom tooth in each corner of the upper and lower jaw, making a total of 4. Unfortunately, the pair of teeth often grow partially or in areas they are not supposed to.

This can be due to various factors, the common one being the lack of sufficient room to accommodate them. Here are common reasons that necessitate wisdom tooth removal.

Why Do You Remove Wisdom Teeth?

The Teeth Are Impacted

Wisdom teeth that fail to grow correctly are said to be impacted. In some cases, impacted wisdom teeth may not need removal, especially when they don’t cause dental pain, discomfort or overcrowding. However, suppose your impacted wisdom teeth constantly give you problems such as prolonged dental pain, increased tooth sensitivity and headaches. It might be best to see your dentist to have them extracted.

Lack of Space to Properly Accommodate Them

There was a time when wisdom teeth were useful, back when we used to eat uncooked food that required a lot of chewing to grind. However, things changed as we evolved, and the third molar became less valuable since we discovered fire, which then led us to eat cooked tender food. After we stopped using the teeth for centuries, our jaws shrank a bit which left insufficient space to accommodate the molars without causing overcrowding.

Some people still have longer jaws, enough to comfortably accommodate wisdom teeth. However, for those who don’t, the lack of room in the jaws to accommodate the teeth may cause dental problems, which can only be resolved through wisdom tooth extraction. When you go for wisdom teeth removal in Salt Lake City, UT, your dentist will do an inspection and recommend the best wisdom tooth removal procedure.

When They Increase the Risks of Getting Oral Problems

Your dentist may still recommend wisdom tooth extraction even when they are not impacted. This won’t be a random decision, but rather after they carry out a series of tests to determine if the tooth pauses any health risks.

For example, wisdom teeth may be harder to clean when brushing since they are too far back and trigger a gag reflex. Unfortunately, this may cause the tooth to be more vulnerable to infection and therefore need to be removed to prevent the spread of cavities.

How Wisdom Tooth Removal Takes Place

We will first do an inspection to determine if you are a good candidate for wisdom tooth removal.

If we find you to be a suitable candidate, we explain to you what the procedure involves and why you need it and then ask you to sign a consent form to commence treatment.

Once you give us your consent, we will give you an anaesthetic to numb the surrounding area of the tooth to be removed.

The procedure we’ll use to extract your tooth will depend on whether the tooth is fully or partially developed. If your tooth is only formed partially and not clearly visible, we will have to remove it through surgery. On the other hand, if the tooth has fully emerged from its socket, we may just rock it back and forth until it becomes loose and then extract it.

The time the procedure will take will vary. For example, if we do a simple tooth extraction, treatment may take 20 minutes or less. However, if the tooth was partially formed and hard to be removed through surgery, piece by piece, the procedure may take longer to complete.

Are There Any Side Effects After Wisdom Tooth Removal?

Just like any other dental procedure, wisdom tooth removal will cause you to experience some side effects. Common side effects that go away with time include swelling on the site of the wound, increased tooth sensitivity and discomfort.

We will prescribe painkillers and give you a list of aftercare instructions to make healing more comfortable. We don’t recommend poking the wound or brushing over it, as this can delay healing.

Conclusion

Wisdom tooth removal is a necessary dental procedure as it can help alleviate dental pain while preventing other dental problems. Since we hardly use it, you don’t have to worry about the impact that will be felt after removing the third molar. Visit Warm Family Dentistry today for the best wisdom tooth extraction in Salt Lake City, UT. We have a skilled and experienced dentist who ensures all dental procedures are safe and painless.