Do You Need A Wisdom Tooth Extraction?

The functions performed by the teeth in our daily life activities cannot be overestimated. The teeth help us to bite, tear, and chew food to aid easy digestion. The teeth also help us to pronounce our words and form speech. Finally, our teeth act as support for our faces and jaws. They are responsible for the shapes of our faces. The formation of teeth starts at about six to twelve months after birth, with the eruption of teeth above the gum line. These teeth are called the milk teeth because they are temporary teeth meant to get an individual through infancy and childhood. At a later age in life, the milk teeth are displaced and replaced by much stronger teeth called permanent teeth. However, not all teeth that an individual is meant to have come out with the milk teeth. The permanent teeth start to replace the temporary teeth when a child is about age six to seven. By age twelve, a child should have twenty-eight permanent teeth in total. However, by the age of seventeen till twenty-five, about four teeth start to shoot above the gum line at the back of the mouth. These teeth are called wisdom teeth and are often extracted.

The wisdom teeth are the third set of molars, and the last teeth to appear in the mouth. They usually appear when an individual is around the age of seventeen to twenty-five and are so troublesome that they mostly need to be extracted. Wisdom tooth extraction is the surgical procedure through which one or more wisdom teeth are removed. The wisdom teeth grow on either side of the top and bottom of the back corner of your mouth.

There are four main types of teeth in the mouth. These teeth all perform different functions and get you through your daily activities. These teeth are:

• Incisors: The incisors are eight in number divided into four upper and four lower teeth, and are located in the front center of your mouth. They are the first set of teeth to grow when there is a transition from temporary to permanent teeth. The main function of the incisors is to bite into food.
• Canines: The canines are the sharpest teeth in the mouth. They are pointed and are four in number located on both sides of the incisors in the upper and lower teeth. The canines are the next to develop after the incisors. Their major function is to tear food apart.
• Premolars: The premolars are eight in number starting right after the canine on both sides in the upper and lower teeth. Unlike the incisors and canines, the premolars have a flat biting surface. Their major function is tearing and crushing food.
• Molars: The molars are the largest teeth in the mouth. They have similar shapes and functions with the premolars in the mouth. They have a larger flat biting surface which helps them to carry out their major function – tearing, grinding, and crushing food.

The wisdom teeth are also molars and are the last set to grow. They are four in number one on each side of the mouth in the upper and lower teeth. The wisdom teeth are extracted most times because they cause harm. Most people either do not develop wisdom teeth at all, develop wisdom teeth the way they grew other teeth, or develop impacted wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth are impacted when there isn’t enough space for them to grow in the mouth. Therefore, some wisdom teeth do not break above the gumline, while others are crowded or grow at a wrong angle. This can lead to severe pain, infection and gum disease, severe tooth decay, etc. Wisdom teeth removal helps to prevent these oral health problems through oral surgery.

Wisdom Teeth Extraction Procedure

A wisdom tooth extraction follows the same procedure as a normal tooth extraction in most cases and can be performed by a dentist in Vernon, BC, and in cases of emergency, an emergency dentist near you.

Like every surgical procedure, there is the use of anesthesia to numb the teeth and gums around it while the dentist goes on to remove the wisdom teeth surgically.

How To Deal With Throbbing Pain After Wisdom Tooth Extraction.

It is normal to feel pain after a wisdom tooth extraction procedure. Applying a cold compress to the side of the extraction area at intervals can help to ease the pain. Also, take painkillers and use extra pillows for head support at night to further alleviate pain.

Wisdom Tooth Extraction Recovery.

To aid recovery after a wisdom tooth extraction procedure, try to avoid rinsing your mouth out, drinking hot liquids and alcohol for about twenty-four hours after your surgery. Also, avoid smoking and strenuous physical activity.

Also, avoid chewing with the operated part of your mouth and use painkillers for pain. Report intense pain or any signs of bleeding to your dentist.