Most of my patients are terrified when it comes to wisdom teeth. Either because they've
watched horrible YouTube movies or because they've had one of their best friend had a
bad experience. Wisdom teeth can cause lots of pain and infections if they are left untreated.
Often, patients require a long course of antibiotics and they will not be able to chew or eat properly.
Some patients have to take time off from work because of the infections and very rarely
they can also be hospitalised because of that. Difficulty to clean wisdom teeth every
day can cause bad smell and bad breath, requiring often a long course of antibiotics and painkillers.
If you have experienced pain or even worse infections from your wisdom teeth, I will
recommend you to come and see your dentist as soon as possible. If wisdom teeth are left
untreated, they can end up damaging the tooth next to it and ultimately you will lose two
back molars. An assessment of a wisdom tooth, it's a quick procedure that is done at your
dentist on your dental chair and you will receive a diagnosis and a proper treatment plan.
Before the procedure starts, I will ensure you are fully numb and you won't feel anything.
Most wisdom teeth are removed within a couple of minutes. More difficult ones can take up
to twenty, thirty minutes. If your wisdom tooth is impacting the jawbone, I might have
to lift the gum away, section the tooth in pieces and stitch the gum back together. You
won't feel anything about it. Generally speaking, upper wisdom teeth are easier to remove than
lower wisdom teeth.
The operation is relatively quick and painless. You are fully numb therefore there will be
no perceptions of pain. Although there might be perceptions of actions happening in
your mouth. You will be able to stop me anytime just raising your hand at any stage. After
the operation, I recommend my patients one or two day of rest which will help the formation
of a nice blood clot which will prevent infections after that. Everyone responds to surgery differently.
Some people might experience a bit of discomfort for few days and require painkillers, some
people might experience a bit of bruising or swelling outside of the face which will
resolve within a week or maximum two weeks. If left untreated, wisdom teeth can cause
serious consequences to your teeth and your health. You will leave the surgery with post
instructions information written on a leaflet, you will have pain relief advice, an emergency
number in case you need it.
Every wisdom tooth is different like every individual is different. On our assessment,
I will discuss your specific circumstances. If your wisdom teeth require additional imaging
and if any alternative techniques can be used in your case to minimise the risks. Generally
speaking, serious risk is very low in wisdom teeth operations. The majority are minor complications
or consequences that will follow any surgical procedure.
After a wisdom tooth extraction, I recommend my patients one or two days of rest. For the
first three days, you might experience some soreness, some bruising, some swelling requiring
painkillers. After three days you will feel much better and you'll be able to chew and
function properly again. Generally, within a week or maximum two weeks, your mouth will
feel back to normal again. By that time, you have forgotten about your wisdom tooth extraction.
You will have no more pain and infections and you'll be able to function with your mouth
properly as you wish.