If you’re the parent of a high school or college student, you may have noticed your children’s friends having their wisdom teeth, AKA third molars, removed over summer or spring break. Wisdom teeth removal is best suited for patients in their late teens or early 20s. By their 30s, patients who are going to get wisdom teeth have usually seen their emergence or felt pressure as they go through adult teething.
When a person of 15-25 years feels achiness, pain, or a toothache in the very back of the jaw, the cause could be wisdom teeth erupting or trying to erupt, if they’re impacted. If you’re interested in learning whether your teen or young adult needs wisdom teeth removal, give us a call at Oral Surgery Specialists of Atlanta: 404-351-5335 for an exam, x-rays, and consultation.
Why Humans Have Wisdom Teeth
Scientists believe that wisdom teeth are part of the human evolution process. Early humans had to chew foods that were harder, denser, and tougher than our modern diet of mostly processed foods. While today we can pop out to the market for dinner ingredients, our ancestors had to consume the local plants and animals. Third molars aided in the pre-digestion of foods directly from nature.
As the human brain grew in size, the human jaw became smaller. However, third molars didn’t fade away with excess jawbone, but they continue to develop in the modern, smaller human jaw. This is a recipe for dental problems: too many molars growing in a jaw that can’t accommodate them.
Did you know?
It’s interesting to note that not everyone has four wisdom teeth. Some have fewer, some have five! And some people are born without any third molar buds in the jaw.
Parents’ FAQs About Wisdom Teeth Removal
Should I have my wisdom teeth removed?
If you’re over 30, this question is best asked of your dentist after a comprehensive exam of your mouth and x-rays. If you or your child is between 15 and 25 and you experience any of the following symptoms, schedule a consultation with one of our oral surgeons in Atlanta.
Frequent cavities in third molars
Constant bad breath
Swelling, tenderness, and stiffness in the back of the mouth
Pain or a toothache in or around a wisdom tooth
Tumor or cyst development around the tooth
A gum flap forms over the top of the erupting wisdom tooth
As wisdom teeth erupt, front teeth shift, become crowded, or overlap
Why should I choose an oral surgeon for wisdom teeth removal?
Oral surgeons attend four to six years of training specifically in oral surgeries after earning a general dentistry degree, a DMD or DDS.
Both Dr. Aiken and Dr. Shessel are board-certified oral surgeons. This means that they have undergone extensive testing and peer review of cases to earn certification by the dental board. Board certification is not required to practice as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Georgia. Dentists choose whether or not to seek board certification, and our dentists believe it’s important to provide patients with the very best they can offer.
What is wisdom tooth impaction?
“Impaction” literally means “press closely” or “fix firmly.” In regards to wisdom teeth, impaction refers to the tooth’s inability to fully erupt due to becoming stuck and pressing against a neighboring tooth. Let’s look at the two factors the oral surgeon considers when a molar is impacted: the orientation of the tooth (straight or angled) and what state of eruption the tooth is in, meaning above or below the gums and above or below the jawbone. These factors contribute to the treatment plan for extraction.
Non-impacted wisdom teeth that have erupted usually don’t require surgical extraction. They can be sectioned in place and then removed. Impacted wisdom teeth, however, require surgical removal if they cause pain, begin reabsorbing a neighboring tooth’s root, or pathological changes like bone loss, cavities, cysts, or other infections occur.
Does wisdom teeth removal hurt?
As oral surgeons, our dentists offer varied methods for pain relief and pain management both during and following wisdom teeth removal. For the in-office procedure, patients may choose from local anesthetic, nitrous oxide (laughing gas), or general (IV) anesthesia. Your oral surgeon will discuss the options, the pros and cons of each, and which he recommends for your procedure.
During recovery, we recommend the non-opioid medication Exparel, which we administer at the site of the extraction before the patient goes home. Exparel controls pain for a few days post-surgery, which is when pain is most acute.
What is recovery like?
For patients in their late teens or early 20s, recovery after wisdom teeth removal lasts a few days to a week. Older patients may experience a longer recovery period of up to two weeks. After impacted wisdom teeth removal surgery, a patient should completely heal over the next three months.
When you go home, the extraction site will be packed with gauze. Leave it in place until all bleeding stops, changing it only when it’s fully saturated and bleeding persists. Your jaw will feel sore, so plan to eat a soft diet for the first few days of recovery. Yogurt, smoothies, mashed potatoes, and pureed soups work well for a soft diet. (Do not use straws!)
Follow these tips for recovering after wisdom teeth removal:
Eat a soft diet
Elevate your head while resting to reduce swelling
Keep the site clean; gently rinse with the mouthwash we prescribed a few times a day
If antibiotics are prescribed, take them until they’re gone
Don’t brush your teeth until 48 hours after surgery; avoid the surgical site and be gentle around it
DO NOT smoke or use a straw, and do not pick at the blood clot with your tongue or finger; the blood clot that forms in the socket is important to avoid developing a painful condition known as dry socket
Avoid strenuous activities and lifting for the first few days
Consequences of Waiting Too Long for Wisdom Teeth Extraction
Pain will continue and could worsen. If you experience pain in your third molars but don’t have them removed, they can become infected. Cysts can form and without professional dental care, the cysts can cause significant pain and damage to your oral health. Further, oral infections can enter the bloodstream to cause serious health concerns.
Schedule a Wisdom Teeth Removal Consultation Now
Not everyone needs wisdom teeth removal. Find out if your teen or young adult needs their third molars extracted by attending a consultation at Oral Surgery Specialists of Atlanta, in Atlanta or Dunwoody. Call us at 404-351-5335 or visit us online and complete a contact request form. We are accepting new patients and would like to invite you and your loved ones to experience our five-star service firsthand.
