Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Many people experience complications and discomfort when their wisdom teeth emerge. At Kings Highway Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, the highly trained team of professionals offers removal of these problematic molars. To learn more about wisdom tooth extraction, call the office or schedule a consultation online today. 

Why should I consider wisdom tooth extraction?

Your wisdom teeth (third molars) are the last teeth to emerge in the back of your mouth. They usually come through in your late teens or early 20s, around the time when your jaw stops growing. 

Many people don’t have enough room in their jaw to support these new molars. When they emerge, they crowd your existing teeth, cause pain, or become vulnerable to infection. They may come in crooked or angled. 

Wisdom teeth can also become trapped beneath the gumline, causing pain and irritation in nerves, soft tissue, and adjacent teeth. Impacted wisdom teeth lead to abscesses and infection. 

Some wisdom teeth break only through your gums only part way. A flap of tissue grows over them, forming a place where food and bacteria get trapped. 

What is it like to have a wisdom tooth extraction?

Before your procedure, you’re placed under a local anesthetic and, usually, twilight sedation to keep you comfortable. 

Your surgeon then makes an incision in the gum tissue covering your wisdom teeth. They remove the entire tooth. Sometimes, the teeth need to be broken up before being fully extracted. Wisdom teeth that have emerged from the gumline are loosened with a special tool, called an elevator, and pulled out.

Your provider closes any wounds with dissolvable stitches and packs the area with gauze. This helps minimize bleeding and encourages clots to form. 

What should I expect with recovery from a wisdom tooth extraction?

Following your wisdom tooth extraction, you typically have some swelling and pain for a few days. Prescription pain medications and antibiotics control discomfort and your risk of infection. 

The team at Kings Highway Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery provides you with comprehensive aftercare instructions to ensure you heal from oral surgery properly. 

You should eat soft foods for a few days, and avoid activities that can dislodge the blood clots that protect the extraction sites. These include participating in high-impact exercise and drinking beverages from a straw.

If you have questions about wisdom tooth extraction, call Kings Highway Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery or schedule a consultation online today.