Trying To Find Wisdom In Wisdom Teeth
If you are lucky in a very rare way, this article may have absolutely nothing to do with you
. However, if you are like most of the population, you have been blessed (or cursed, depending on how you look at it) with a special accessory: wisdom teeth.
Wisdom teeth generally come in sets of four, and are your third molars. While people have been known to have only two, four is the most common number found.
Wisdom teeth remain under the surface of your gums for quite some time in your youth, usually surfacing between the ages of seventeen and twenty-five. When they do surface, often a great deal of pain occurs, which leads to their extraction.
On occasion, the wisdom teeth emerge and your other teeth and jaw are able to make plenty of room for them. In these lucky cases, the teeth do not need to be extracted at all.
However, more commonly, for some strange reason the teeth try to emerge in the incorrect direction, or become "impacted." There are a few different types or sub-categories:
Mesioangular impaction occurs when the wisdom teeth try to emerge facing the front of the mouth. This is the most common form, and occurs in 44% of all impaction cases.
Vertical Impaction occurs when the teeth want to emerge straight up, but cannot break the gum-line. This is slightly less common, occurring in 33% of patients.
Distoangualr impaction, responsible for 6% of impactions, happens when the tooth is angled backwards, pointing to the inside of the mouth. These tend to be the easiest for oral surgeons to remove.
The last, Horizontal, is the least common form, surfacing only in 3% of cases. This occurs when the tooth is angled sideways, at a full ninety degree angle, and begins to grow into the roots of the second molar.
This is a very difficult and painful extraction. When the patient is impacted in any way, this can cause tissue swelling, redness, pain, and even bacterial buildup and infection.
For this reason, in most cases, removing the impactions becomes extremely necessary to the patient's comfort, and health. All you need to do is see your dentist or oral surgeon for a consultation.
While the actual surgery is relatively non-invasive, some preparation is necessary. In most cases, you are put under general anesthesia, though some doctors prefer to keep their patients awake but numbed for the process.
The patients might want to consider the benefits of going completely under. You do not have to hear the sounds of drilling, bone or tooth breakage, and the general stress of surgical procedures.
This can be stressful and upsetting to some people, because depending on the level of impaction, the surgery can take a few hours. Be sure to talk to your doctor about all of the options, and which would be right for you.
If you do choose anesthesia, be sure you come with someone to drive you home afterwards. It is unsafe to drive, and you will need assistance in walking.
The post-removal care of your surgical site is extremely important, perhaps the most important step of all. There are potential risks afterward that can create severe reactions.
First, be careful to not disturb the blood clot that forms over the hole. This clot is protecting the bone, and keeping it from being exposed to air, water, etc.
If this clot is disturbed, you will develop what is calling "dry socket." This is extremely painful, and risks the infection of exposed bone.
Infection can also commonly occur in conjunction with this, or even on its own. You have to be very careful to care for the exposed areas, and makes sure food particles do not become trapped in the site.
Your surgeon will most likely give you a kind of water pic, which should be used to gently rinse away any debris or bacteria which may be building up. Use this after each time you eat.
Swelling is a normal reaction post-surgery, but can hinder your healing. Ask your doctor about anti-swelling medications which can help you to be more comfortable, and heal more quickly.
Be sure to eat mainly soft of liquid foods for a while after, and rest. The last thing you want is to end up back in that doctor's chair!
by: Ignacio Lopez
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