Safety Concerns

Tooth extractions are an everyday occurrence in dental surgeries up and down the country, but wisdom teeth extractions can sometimes be slightly more problematic. There’s no reason to get overly concerned if you are informed that your wisdom teeth are impacted and have to removed, but you could set yourself up for a smoother surgery by learning a little bit about the safety aspects of the procedure, and what other elements can affect it. If you’re not sure whether your wisdom teeth need removing, or you’ve noticed some pain around the back of your molars, make an appointment with the Pearl Dental Clinic, their trained staff will be able to tell you if you require any further treatment, and they can also advise you on pain relief, if you are feeling some discomfort.

How does the position of the wisdom teeth affect the extraction?

The size and positioning of the new molars has a significant effect on how the dentist needs to approach an extraction. There are four types of impaction that can require treatment; mesioangular, distoangular, vertical, and horizontal. The degree to which the tooth has impacted will dictate the amount of surgery needed when performing its extraction, simply put; if it has managed to erupt from the gums to some level, it will be easier to remove than if it was completed impacted underneath the tissue. If there is something for the dentist to grip onto, without resorting to surgical methods, they will find it easier to rock the tooth back and forth until the ligaments are broken and the root becomes loose. Furthermore, an impacted tooth that is positioned closer to the surface of the gum line will contribute to a faster healing process after its extraction, mainly because there is less trauma to the tissue.

It’s not just the position that affects wisdom tooth removal either, their shape and anatomy can make life difficult for a dental surgeon. Wisdom teeth are typically much larger than their neighbouring molars, and come with more than one root; teeth on the lower jaw usually have two roots, whereas the ones on the upper jaw have three – making them more complicated to remove. However, not all wisdom teeth are built in the same way; there can be quite a large variation in root formation from patient to patient. Because they are often trying to force their way onto the jaw line, wisdom teeth can sometimes develop several malformations, due to the lack of space when forming and erupting. The numerous roots can become fused together or grow in abnormal shapes beneath the gums; it’s important the dentist takes several x-rays from all angles before attempting an extraction, in order to determine the exact shape and size of the tooth and its roots. Irregular roots need to be identified before surgery can begin, otherwise the surgeon is going in blind, assuming that they are just another type of molar that needs removing.

Are wisdom teeth extractions always complicated?

It’s inevitable that most wisdom teeth are going to be more difficult to deal with than regular teeth, because they are so far back and they are prone to impactions or malformations, however, this doesn’t necessarily mean that your extraction is going to be severely complicated and painful. In fact, some dentists report having removed wisdom teeth that were no more troublesome than a normal molar! Your surgeon should be able to give you an idea of how complex your own circumstances are, and what you can expect after your treatment, they should talk you through the procedure and make sure you are fully aware of the implications. Don’t worry if they mention that your teeth are in a particularly troublesome position, a skilled dentist will be trained to deal with all kinds of situations, and they will have prepared for your surgery beforehand. If you feel like your nerves are getting the better of you, it may be worth talking about sedation techniques, so that a difficult operation isn’t compounded further.

What if my wisdom teeth are infected?

One of the big problems with wisdom teeth is that they are difficult to clean, and they can start to erode the teeth next to them if they become infected. Bacterial infection is certainly something your dentist will want to avoid, but if they have already started to show signs of it, they may prescribe you with some antibiotics and postpone the treatment until the mouth is in a healthier condition. It’s not a good idea to start pulling teeth out and leaving their sockets exposed if there is already an infection present, this will only exacerbate the situation. It normally takes about a week for minor infections to clear up, with medication, then the extraction can be re-scheduled and surgery can go ahead. More serious infections have to be reduced to a manageable degree, to avoid complications with the healing process.

How safe is a surgical extraction?

As mentioned earlier, some wisdom teeth don’t erupt enough for the dentist to get a good grip on them with their tools; this means they have to make an incision into the gum line and cut away some of the tissue to reach the tooth in question. Serious surgical procedures involve cutting out a portion of the bone, this is required when the tooth has completely failed to erupt through the jaw line correctly, and is encased in bone. In such cases, it may be necessary to cut the wisdom tooth into sections, to make it easier to remove; this means there is less damage to the bone and it minimises blood loss from the surgery site.

When performed by a trained professional, surgical extraction of a wisdom tooth is a very safe procedure – if a little more complicated than other types of removal. Your dentist will no doubt have the skill to extract your troublesome molars, without causing any damage to the surrounding teeth, and they should provide on-going aftercare, to make sure you don’t run into trouble during your recovery.