Our adult teeth come in waves, and the third and final teeth we get in our late teens and early twenties are the wisdom teeth. While they can emerge with acceptable alignment, this is often not the case. Whether you have noticed a difference in your comfort level since your wisdom teeth have come in or are otherwise concerned, our staff is here to help. We can thoroughly examine your teeth and decide the best course of action to help you maintain comfort and overall oral health.
Even before your wisdom teeth emerge, we can help you determine if they will pose a risk to the rest of your teeth. When not properly aligned, they can cause a number of issues including:
The best course of action is to carefully monitor every step of the development of your wisdom teeth. We evaluate x-rays and even make the determination of whether or not your wisdom teeth should be removed before any potential problems arise. This is important because the procedure and recovery process is easier early on before the roots are fully developed and bones are more dense.
There are many expectations following a wisdom tooth extraction, and yours depends heavily upon the level of difficulty of removal. Just some of the common things you could face following the procedure include:
Bleeding. This is common and could continue hours following the surgery. Many find relief in biting down on tea bags as the tannic acid helps prevent clotting. Facial swelling. This can be reduced by applying an ice pack to the impacted area for 20 minute increments throughout the day.
Inablity to eat. Following the procedure, plan on a liquid diet for the first 24 hours followed by soft foods for the first couple of days following extraction.
Following your procedure, we will work with you and determine the level of medication needed to alleviate pain. While simple procedures may only require Tylenol or ibuprofen, it may be necessary for us to prescribe something stronger for procedures that were more complicated. We also monitor your situation to determine if antibiotics will be necessary as part of your recovery.
Our staff is dedicated to the long-term oral health of our patients, and we take preventive measures whenever possible to best ensure you are comfortable with your smile. Call us today for a consultation.
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