Wisdom Teeth Removal: What to Expect Before and After

Removal of wisdom teeth is a frequent dental treatment undergone by individuals who experience problems with their third molars, such as toothache, infection, and dental crowding. Not all wisdom teeth erupt normally and pose no threat to your oral health, while others may be problematic in their development and maintenance and cause complications.

If you want to remove wisdom teeth in Melbourne, it is important to know what to expect prior to, during, and after the surgery. This information will allow you to be well-prepared for the whole procedure.

What is Wisdom Teeth Extraction?

Wisdom teeth extraction is the term used for the dental procedure that involves the removal of one or more third molars found in the rear part of the mouth. The eruption of these teeth usually occurs during the teenage or early adulthood period.

Due to their eruption process, these wisdom teeth can either erupt correctly, or partially or wholly remain covered up with the gums or bone tissue. The wisdom teeth that do not erupt correctly are termed as impacted wisdom teeth.

Wisdom teeth extraction may be suggested by a dentist if the tooth poses some kind of trouble or can cause more trouble in future.

What Makes It Mandatory to Extract Your Wisdom Tooth?

It is not mandatory to extract your wisdom tooth in all cases. Your dentist may advise you on extracting your wisdom tooth in the following situations:

• Wisdom tooth impacted

• Frequent pain or swelling

• Infection in your wisdom tooth

• Difficulties in maintaining hygiene of the tooth

• Decay of the tooth

• Any dental issue including periodontitis of your wisdom tooth

• Damages to neighboring teeth

• Formation of cysts or any other problem related to the tooth

If you experience infection in your wisdom tooth along with pain and swelling, it is better to see your dentist right away.

What is involved in wisdom teeth extraction procedure?

Wisdom teeth extraction procedure starts with the examination of your teeth by the dentist or oral surgeon and choosing the most appropriate procedure for you.

Sometimes there are cases when the simple procedure can be performed using local anesthesia. Some more complex procedures like extraction of impacted teeth may take more time and other anesthesia techniques have to be used.

During the procedure, the dentist or oral surgeon takes all the necessary steps to extract the tooth without injuring the adjacent structures.

The time it takes to perform the procedure is dependent on the number of extracted teeth and whether they are impacted or not.

Can removal of wisdom teeth change your face shape?

Patients usually wonder “can removal of wisdom teeth change your face shape?”

Usually, extraction of wisdom teeth does not lead to any permanent changes of face shape. You will experience swelling on your cheeks and chin area after the extraction procedure for several days.

After the swelling goes down, your face will get back to its normal shape. There is no reshaping of the bone structure of your face.

Anticipated Effects of the Removal of Wisdom Teeth

After the removal of the wisdom teeth, it is anticipated that there will be some pain, swelling, and sensitivity. However, your dentist will give you post-treatment instructions based on your specific situation.

For the first few days, you should:

• Rest and not engage in physical activities

• Eat soft foods

• Clean up as instructed by your dentist

• Not smoke

• Not agitate the region where the tooth was extracted

• Take any prescribed painkillers

The swelling will worsen in the initial few days and then improve after that.

An elevation in body temperature following the removal of the wisdom teeth cannot be ignored, especially when accompanied by pain, swelling, discharge, bad odor, and signs of infection.

What is the Wisdom Teeth Extraction Cost in Melbourne?

Fluctuations may occur in the cost of wisdom teeth extraction in Melbourne. These will involve the total number of teeth being pulled out, the state of the teeth whether they are impacted or not, the complexity of the surgery involved, and the type of anesthesia used.

As every individual is unique, the surest way to know the probable cost is to undergo an examination and request a personal quote.

Costs may differ across various dentists as well as the coverage from private health insurance of each patient.

Extraction of Wisdom Teeth Due to Impaction of the Teeth

A wisdom tooth might have enough space to come out properly. In case that does not happen, then it may not come out at all, come out incorrectly or even incompletely.

Impacted wisdom teeth could be harder to maintain cleanliness and could be problematic because of infections, inflammation or anything else. The dentist will be able to check the impacted tooth by conducting a dental examination and also an x-ray.

Removal of Wisdom Teeth When Pregnant

There are many people who wonder if it is possible to have one’s wisdom teeth removed when they are pregnant.

The fact of whether a person can receive any kind of dental treatment during their pregnancy will be based on several different factors, such as the type of the issue, as well as how far along they are with their pregnancy.

If a person is pregnant and has pain in their wisdom teeth, then it is crucial for them to let their dentist know about this.

Wisdom Tooth Extraction Services in Melbourne

For those looking for wisdom tooth extraction near me, there are a host of service providers in Melbourne as well as many other surrounding areas. Depending on where you are, you could be looking for wisdom tooth extraction services in Craigieburn, Springvale, Cranbourne, Mulgrave, Fawkner, Frankston South, Caulfield, Tarneit, Clyde North, Botanic Ridge, Riddells Creek, Romsey, Elsternwick and many others.

It would not be a good idea to go with a service provider only because of its proximity. There are many factors to consider like expertise of the dentist, severity of your condition, treatments available and post-treatment facilities.

What are the Conditions to See a Wisdom Teeth Dentist?

There are definite signs that you should visit a wisdom teeth dentist if you have pain, swelling, difficulty in opening mouth, bad taste or smell, inflammation in gums or any indication of infection in the back teeth.

It will help determine if your wisdom teeth are coming through fine or need to be treated.

In cases of emergencies, if there is swelling, excessive bleeding, breathing or swallowing difficulties, see an expert at once.

Final Thoughts

Extracting wisdom teeth is pretty common, but again, it all depends on how your teeth are situated. In order to be well-prepared for wisdom teeth extraction surgery, you will need to know about this surgery beforehand.

If you experience any problems with your wisdom teeth such as discomfort or infection, going to see the dentist will help you determine whether you need this procedure or not.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why do I need to remove my wisdom teeth?

When you see that your tooth is either impacted, infected, painful, decayed or poses any problems with other teeth and gums, your dentist might advise you to extract it. You can consult your dentist for more information about wisdom teeth removal.

2. How long will the process take?

The procedure usually takes different amounts of time depending on the number of the teeth you need to remove and their position. Extraction of the teeth can take some time, especially if the tooth is impacted.

3. Is wisdom teeth removal painful?

Wisdom teeth are removed under appropriate anesthesia, so there is no reason why you should feel any pain during the procedure. However, it is quite normal to feel pain, swelling and tenderness afterwards.

4. How long is the recovery process going to take?

As each patient is unique, so are his/her recoveries after wisdom teeth removal. Most people manage to return to their routine activities in several days.

5. How much is wisdom teeth extraction in Melbourne?

The cost of wisdom teeth extraction in Melbourne depends on the number of teeth involved, whether the tooth is impacted, the nature of the surgery, and the kind of anesthesia needed. You can get an estimate from a dental evaluation.

6. How do you know you have an impacted wisdom tooth?

Indicators that you have an impacted wisdom tooth include pain in the jaw, swelling, tenderness, difficulty opening your mouth, inflamed gums, or pain in the area at the back of your mouth. There are cases where impacted wisdom teeth do not exhibit any signs.

7. Can an impacted wisdom tooth result in an infection?

Yes. If a wisdom tooth is impacted or partially grown out, it can be hard to clean, and therefore, it can lead to bacteria building up under the gums. This will lead to an infection in the wisdom tooth.

8. Can wisdom teeth removal change my face structure?

Wisdom teeth removal doesn’t cause significant changes in face structure in the majority of cases. Temporary inflammation that can happen in the cheek area after this procedure makes your face look different for some time until you recover.

9. Is it possible to remove wisdom teeth during pregnancy?

The extraction of wisdom teeth during pregnancy depends on your specific case and on its urgency. In case you need to extract wisdom teeth and feel discomfort during pregnancy, notify your dentist about it.

10. What should I do if I have a fever after wisdom teeth removal?

If you experience fever after removing wisdom teeth, it can indicate infection especially when it is accompanied by other symptoms such as pain, swelling, and pus in mouth.