When referred to an oral surgeon for their impacted wisdom teeth removal, many patients wonder what they can expect. For many of these patients, it could be their first time getting a tooth extracted or having oral surgery at all, so it is important for their dentist to explain the procedure to them thoroughly to prevent any anxiety about the procedure.
Before almost any procedure is done, a dentist will typically take a series of x-rays to diagnose and treat dental problems including extractions. This is a way to tell the doctor what the difficulty level of the procedure. When it comes to wisdom teeth extractions, there are a few things the dentist will look for. One is the anatomy of the tooth. Wisdom teeth have more than one root, so the angle of the root and the shape of the roots are a big factor. If the roots are very curved or hooked, it could spell a difficult extraction. If the roots are small and straight, this would be a very simple and quick extraction.
Another factor would be the shape of the patient’s jaw and the placement of the teeth in the jaw. Sometimes there is not enough room for the tooth to fully erupt, or the tooth may come in at an improper angle. Sometimes the teeth come in completely sideways. These are known as impacted wisdom teeth because they have not been allowed to fully erupt due to anatomical reasons.
Extracting impacted wisdom teeth is usually a more involved process and could require more equipment than the regular dentist may have on hand. For these reasons, many dentists will refer patients needing these procedures to an oral surgeon.
Many patients have a certain anxiety towards going to a surgeon, but it is usually necessary for proper removal and healing of the extraction. The procedure is typically quite simple for most cases.
First, depending upon the patient’s preference, the surgeon may administer some sedation. This can come in the form on medication before the procedure, inhaled nitrous oxide, or intravenous medication. These are not to control pain, however. They are only to control the amount of anxiety the patient will experience.
The patient will then get local anesthetic. This is to numb the area of the extraction so the patient cannot feel the procedure. It is typically administered by injection. Most dentists and surgeons use a topical anesthetic to numb the skin around the injection site. This will lessen the sting of the injection.
After the patient is numb, the surgeon will use a variety of instruments to remove the teeth. Removing impacted teeth usually requires gaining access, so cutting into the gum tissue is necessary. Sometimes they need to section the teeth for easier removal. An experience surgeon will have the procedure done in hardly any time at all.
When it is all done, the patient will heal on their own. The amount of healing time depends on the difficulty of the extraction. The surgeon and their staff will give the patient a specific set of instructions to aid in their healing. Sometimes the patient will need to return to the office for post operative checks or to remove sutures.
Removing wisdom teeth is not usually difficult for the right practitioner, but it can be a frightening procedure for many patients. The easiest way to prevent anxiety is through patient education.
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