Wisdom Teeth Removal

What are wisdom teeth?

Wisdom teeth, also known as wisdom teeth, are the last adult teeth to appear. There are 4 wisdom teeth that appear in the left and right backmost areas of the lower and upper jaws. Wisdom teeth play a role in performing the chewing function by appearing without any pain in some people.

Wisdom teeth, which are the molars located at the very back of the jaw, can cause abscess formation, pain and various discomforts if they cannot adapt to the jaw structure. The main factor causing this problem is that there is not enough space in the jaw for the wisdom teeth to come out easily. In such cases, what needs to be done is wisdom tooth extraction or wisdom tooth surgery.

Wisdom teeth can not only cause severe pain, but also deterioration in the jaw structure and some negative effects on the health of other neighboring teeth. Therefore, when wisdom teeth start to come out, it is essential to visit a dentist for a check-up. There is no rule that wisdom teeth must be extracted in everyone. People with suitable jaw structure may not have their wisdom teeth extracted. However, when a person’s jaw structure is not suitable, unwanted situations such as wisdom teeth coming out at an incorrect angle and remaining embedded in the gum may occur. In such cases, it is not possible to see the wisdom teeth from the outside. Wisdom teeth with this feature, also called impacted wisdom teeth, are usually noticed when they cause pain.

Regular dentist check-ups can prevent wisdom teeth from negatively affecting the jaw and tooth structure and unwanted problems such as abscesses. Thanks to regular check-ups, the process in which wisdom teeth begin to emerge and develop can be monitored. In case of any negative situation, wisdom teeth can be extracted to prevent damage to oral and dental health.

How is Wisdom Teeth Surgery Performed?

In cases where the wisdom tooth is too stuck to come out, completely embedded in the jawbone, or at an angle that is not suitable for coming out, the dentist should remove it with a wisdom tooth surgery. Before the surgery, the dentist evaluates the condition of the tooth by requesting some blood tests and x-rays.

In some cases, antibiotic treatment is started and the wisdom tooth surgery is performed after the antibiotic treatment is completed. Before the surgery, the relevant wisdom tooth root is numbed with a needle. Before the injection, spray-type anesthetics can be applied to make the patient feel the injection less. When the local anesthesia takes effect, the wisdom tooth surgery is started and completed in a short time. The skin where the tooth is embedded is cut and the tooth is removed. Then, the opened area is closed with stitches and the wisdom tooth surgery is completed.

How is a wisdom tooth extracted?

Diseased wisdom teeth; inflammation of the surrounding gum tissue, tissue loss in the roots and enamel of neighboring teeth, bad breath due to food accumulation and tooth decay can cause various oral and dental health problems. In order to prevent such problems, wisdom teeth that come out at a regular angle but create congestion in the mouth should be extracted as well as semi-impacted and impacted teeth.

How wisdom teeth are extracted is determined after an X-ray of the tooth is taken. If the roots of the tooth are embedded in the jawbone, the probability of removing the tooth in one piece is extremely low. In such cases, the impacted tooth is separated into several pieces and extracted.

If painful wisdom teeth are under the gum but not embedded in the bone, the gum should be cut open to extract the tooth. The gum is cut and the impacted tooth is removed in one piece. After the tooth is extracted, the area is cleaned and the gum is stitched. The stitches are removed a certain amount of time after the operation.

It is normal to have pain, swelling and bruising for a few days after wisdom teeth are extracted. Bleeding may also occur. The pain usually decreases and passes within a week following tooth extraction.

The teeth should be brushed gently for the first 24 hours after wisdom teeth extraction. In addition, the areas where the tooth was extracted and the adjacent areas should be avoided directly. Care should be taken not to gargle or gargle for the period specified by the dentist.

Soft and juicy foods should be consumed in the early period after wisdom teeth extraction. During the recovery period, when hard and hard-to-chew foods should be avoided; foods such as soup, fruit juices and purees can be included in the diet. Foods and drinks consumed should be lukewarm, and smoking and alcohol consumption should be stopped due to the risk of slowing down and delaying the healing process.

Antibiotics and painkillers prescribed by the dentist should be used regularly after wisdom teeth extraction. Applying a cold compress can help relieve pain and swelling in the application area. Keeping the head slightly higher than the body while lying down is an important factor to consider in order to prevent facial swelling from increasing.

What are the symptoms of wisdom teeth?

One of the most obvious symptoms of wisdom teeth is pain. Wisdom tooth pain is much more intense and has a wider effect area than headaches and normal toothaches due to the compression of nerves. The symptoms encountered in cases where wisdom teeth cause infection in the mouth can be listed as follows:

• Red and inflamed gums around the teeth,
• Facial swelling,
• Pain and sensitivity,
• Dirty discharge from the gums,
• Swelling and pain in the lymph nodes under the jaw,
• Difficulty in opening the mouth and chewing,
• Fever,
• Food getting stuck,
• Difficulty in cleaning the mouth,
• Bad breath,
• Difficulty in speaking,
• Very severe and intense headache,
• Pain in the jawbone.

Wisdom teeth usually appear between the ages of 17 and 25, and the conditions that require their extraction can be listed as follows:

• When teeth erupt, if bacteria and food residues accumulate in the tooth socket, tooth decay may occur. Severe pain may be experienced due to abscess and infection formation in decayed teeth and neighboring teeth.
• In teeth that partially erupt, the infection in that area may spread to the soft tissue and cause gum abscess. As a result, pain, bad breath and swelling may occur. In some cases, the patient may not be able to open and close their mouth fully. If this condition is not treated urgently, the infection may spread to the cheek and neck area via the lymph nodes.
• When wisdom teeth erupt, pressure may occur on neighboring teeth. Due to the pressure caused by the pressure, pain and wear may occur in neighboring teeth.
• Especially in young people, the crookedness and irregularity in their teeth can be eliminated with orthodontic treatment. When the pressure that occurs when wisdom teeth erupt applies force to neighboring teeth, it pushes the teeth and crooked teeth may occur.
• If the surrounding follicle is not resorbed when the wisdom teeth erupt, cyst formation may occur. If this formation grows, there may be erosion in the jaw bone. Large gaps may form in the bone and the jaw bone may weaken. The risk of fractures in the weakened jaw bones over time may be on the agenda.