Wisdom teeth are a hot topic in the world of dentistry, you often hear about them frequently when people talk about their teeth or the dentist. The reason for this is that they can be a constant issue for many people and we will talk more about that in this article.

What are wisdom teeth
These are the third and final set of molars that form in the adult years of your life (usually between 17 and 25 years, but can occur later) and they they are called wisdom teeth because of this.

Why would you need to take them out?
Wisdom teeth can be problematic in a few ways and they may need to be removed, these reasons include:

– Your mouth cannot accommodate the teeth properly and the jaw has no room for the extra teeth
– The teeth are in an awkward position, this could mean that they are too far back in the mouth and may not come out normally. As a result they can become stuck in the gums or jaw, with nowhere to go, which can be extremely painful
– The angle of teeth causes they to press against other teeth or other parts of the mouth that make it uncomfortable
– The wisdom teeth have decay/cavities, this is usually because they are extremely difficult to reach with a toothbrush and floss.

The removal process
Usually you will be referred to an oral surgeon to carry out the procedure of tooth extraction (removal). It is important to speak in depth about the procedure to ensure that you meet any requirements, this could be because you may need general anaesthetic rather than local anaesthetic and you may need to disclose any health issues or medications that you are on.

The process of extraction is usually quite fast and normally lasts for less than an hour. First the surgeon will administer a form of anaesthetic, this may be:

– Local Anaesthetic: applied to the area of the teeth that need to be removed and you will be awake, but should feel little or no pain.
– General Anaesthetic: you may breathe a gas or be given an injection to make you unconscious for the procedure

The surgeon will usually make a cut or incision in the gum so that the tooth and bone are exposed, this will allow them to remove necessary bone and the tooth itself. The surgeon may split the tooth into various sections to make removal easier and then will clean the area of any debris to prevent infection. The wound may be stitched closed, however this is not always the case and will depend on the size of the tooth and the necessary incision to
remove it.

The mouth is known to heal extremely quickly and you should be fine in a few days time!

About the dentist
Chiswick Park Dental Practice is a Chiswick dentist close to the centre of London that provides attention to detail and great customer service.

Chiswick Park Dental Practice
62 South Parade
Chiswick
London
W4 5LG