Here’s Everything You Need To Know About Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Our teeth are an integral part of our mouths. Our teeth are responsible for the cutting, tearing, and chewing of food, pronunciation of words, and shaping of our faces. Like every other part of the human body, the teeth also undergoes some growth and development before it is fully mature. Babies grow milk teeth in the first six to twelve months of birth. The milk teeth are then replaced with permanent teeth at about age seven upwards. The last set of teeth to grow are the wisdom teeth.
Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars that grow in the development of the human teeth. There are four types of teeth and they serve different purposes. They are:
Incisors. The incisors are the front-most teeth used for cutting food. A fully developed set of human teeth mostly have eight incisors.
Canines. The canines are pointed teeth situated at each side of the incisors. They look like fangs and are used for tearing food. The canines are four in number in a set of human teeth.
Premolars. The premolars are located between the canines and the molars. They are used in chewing and passing food from the canines to the molars. They are eight in number in a developed set of human teeth.
Lastly, the molars. The molars are the largest teeth in the mouth and they are used for grinding and chewing food. They are located in the back of the mouth and are twelve in number in a fully grown set of teeth. The wisdom teeth are molars.
The wisdom teeth are the last set of teeth to grow in the mouth. They are four in number, located at the furthest four corners of the mouth. Wisdom teeth begin to push through the gum line between the ages of eighteen to twenty-five. A lot of people experience pain and discomfort as these teeth erupt, hence the reason for wisdom tooth extraction.
Tooth extraction is a procedure through which a tooth is removed with anesthesia for the betterment of one’s oral health by a dentist or an oral surgeon. Wisdom teeth might need to be extracted because they sometimes lack space to develop normally which results in impacted wisdom teeth.
Why Are Wisdom Teeth Extracted?
A lot of people don’t develop wisdom teeth at all, while others develop wisdom teeth the same way they developed their other teeth. Unfortunately, some people develop impacted wisdom teeth.
Impacted wisdom teeth are teeth that lack enough space to erupt or develop normally. They sometimes erupt partially, grow at a wrong angle, or do not erupt at all. These teeth might need to be removed because they cause a lot of problems in the mouth.
Wisdom teeth might need to be removed for the following reasons:
- If they cause pain or discomfort to you.
- If they cause infection or gum disease.
- If they cause damage to other teeth or bones.
- If there’s a decay in a partially erupted wisdom tooth.
- To prevent future oral health problems.
Wisdom Teeth Extraction
Wisdom teeth extraction surgery can be done by a downtown Seattle dentist or any certified dentist or oral surgeon anywhere you reside. Wisdom teeth extraction, if urgent, should be done as a last resort on the recommendation of an emergency dentist near you.
A wisdom teeth extraction surgery procedure is painless as it involves the use of anesthesia, while the dentist goes on to remove the erring teeth.
Precautions To Be Taken After Wisdom Teeth Surgery.
After a successful wisdom teeth extraction, there are some dos and don’ts to be abided by to hasten your recovery process.
For twenty-four hours after successful surgery, avoid rinsing your mouth out with any liquid and drinking hot liquids. Also, avoid drinking alcohol, smoking, and any strenuous physical activity.
For a few days, avoid hard food and always chew with other unoperated sides of your teeth. Take pain killers to alleviate your pain and use extra pillows to support your head at night.
After a few days, you will be able to brush your teeth properly without any difficulty. Report any signs of bleeding or intense pain to your dentist.
With these, your speedy recovery and perfect oral health are guaranteed.