Wisdom Teeth Removal
Wisdom teeth are the four final molars that erupt in an adult mouth. Most people typically get them between the age of 18 and 25. Unfortunately, 85 percent of people have to have their wisdom teeth extracted in their lifetime.
At Oral and Facial Surgery Center, we offer wisdom teeth removal in as painless a way as possible.
Why Is Wisdom Tooth Extraction Necessary?
Most people have their wisdom teeth removed because of the following reasons:
| • | They are impacted: Since wisdom teeth grow far back in your mouth, there may not be enough room for them to come out normally. As a result, they become trapped in the jawbone or gums. This can be quite painful. |
| • | They come in at a wrong angle: Most wisdom teeth come out slanted or lying on their side. This can cause them to press against the adjacent molar. This results in not just crowding and improper bite, but also can damage the healthy adjoining molar. |
| • | Tooth decay: Since wisdom teeth erupt far back in the mouth, it is difficult to clean them with a toothbrush or floss them. As a result, debris may stay trapped between the molars, and they may accumulate bacteria and plaque. If your wisdom tooth starts to decay, it may spread the infection to the adjacent molar as well. |
Wisdom Teeth Removal Process
The extraction of a wisdom tooth is a surgical process. At Oral and Facial Surgery Center, Dr. Ardoin or Dr. Kennedy will either numb your mouth with a local anesthetic or will recommend sedation.
Since wisdom teeth often get stuck beneath the gumline, we may have to make an incision in your gums and remove some of the bone from the surrounding area to access it. Because of the awkward location, your tooth may also need to be split into pieces so that it can be removed.
Once the tooth has been extracted, we may suture the wound with dissolvable stitches. Some pain and swelling are to be expected after the extraction, which normally goes away after three days. However, if you experience severe pain, prolonged bleeding, or fever, you should contact us immediately for an urgent appointment.
Potential Complications of Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Here are some issues that can happen in some instances, after wisdom tooth extraction:
| • | Dry socket: A dry socket can develop typically three days after surgery. This happens when the blood clot necessary for proper healing unexpectedly dissolves or is knocked loose. This can cause severe pain. We can give you a specialized dressing, oral antiseptic, and pain killers to resolve the problem. |
| • | Subperiosteal abscess: This is a pus-pocket that develops when tissue and bone debris become trapped within the healing extraction site. We can drain the pus and clear up infection with antibiotics. |
| • | Bacterial infection: Bacterial infection occurs in fewer than six percent of cases. We will give you an antibiotic to prevent any infections from taking root before the surgery. After the extraction, we will prescribe additional antibiotics and antibacterial mouthwash to use. |
In some cases, wisdom teeth do not pose any problems and can remain untouched. However, it is best to have them extracted if they show any signs of trouble. Make sure you schedule an appointment with us by calling us at 337-443-2533 for our Lafayette location or 337-381-3663 for our Opelousas location to determine whether it is in your best interest to extract or keep your wisdom teeth.