Removal and Recovery for Wisdom Teeth Extractions in Houston

No one likes to have a tooth extracted. Dreading a trip to the dentist to remove a tooth may feel almost as bad as the tooth that’s bothering you.

However, once the tooth is removed, it can be a massive burden lifted off your shoulders, or rather out of your mouth.

Wisdom teeth, which are molars at the very back of the mouth, usually don’t come in until around 17 to 23 years of age, but it is possible for them to get stuck, which can cause problems.

Risks Associated with Wisdom Teeth

When a wisdom tooth fails to break the surface of your gums, known as an impacted tooth, it can become painful or even infected.

The primary reason for this occurring is that the mouth is too small to accommodate a third set of molars. Because of this, they may come in at an angle, pushing against other teeth, or not come in at all.

The infections can lead to many other notably worse issues, such as a bone infection, so it’s best to have your local Houston dentist extract impacted wisdom teeth as soon as possible.

When To Remove Wisdom Teeth

The American Dental Association recommends getting a checkup around the age of 20 to determine how well the wisdom teeth are developing. Around this age, the roots are still developing, and if there is an issue, they can more easily be removed.

Fortunately, if the wisdom teeth do need to be removed, it can typically be done right in your Houston dentist office during a single visit. Even better, all four teeth can be removed at the same time to prevent future visits.

During the process of removing wisdom teeth, there can be some pain or discomfort, even with general and local anesthetics used in sedation dentistry. Most of the discomfort is felt after the procedure is completed.

That said, the discomfort will subside and the pain caused by infections will be a thing of the past.

Wisdom Teeth Removal Recovery Time

Pain and swelling are the most common effects felt after removing wisdom teeth.

The points on the gums where the teeth were removed from need time to heal, and they also need to be protected from damage.

Constant prodding with the tongue, chewing hard foods, drinking soda, and other activities could dislodge the blood clot that helps with healing, which prolongs the healing process.

On average, recovery time for wisdom teeth removal is three to four days. It can, however, take up to a week.

Swelling may continue even after a week and some minor discomfort for up to a couple extra weeks. Ice packs and a salt gargle will help reduce discomfort and keep the mouth clean while the sites heal.