Wisdom tooth extraction is a common dental procedure. It’s performed when one or more of your wisdom teeth are impacted and can not safely emerge into the oral cavity, oftentimes, this is due to these teeth emerging at an angle or simply lacking the space to erupt. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause pain, gum disease, cyst development, and other dental problems if they are not removed.
The extraction procedure itself is typically very quick and relatively painless.
- You will be given a local anesthetic to numb the area around the tooth before it is extracted.
- We will then access the tooth by creating a small opening in your gum tissue.
- From this opening, we will either remove the tooth as a whole piece or break it into fragments before removing it.
- The area is finally sutured closed for healing.
After the tooth is extracted, you may experience some swelling and bruising around the area. This is normal and will usually subside within a few days. You can minimize swelling and discomfort by following post-operative instructions carefully, including icing the area, using over-the-counter pain medication, and resting in the days following the procedure.
