Oral Surgery

Before we remove any of your teeth, we'll examine your mouth and teeth, and we may take X-rays of the teeth we're going to remove so we can evaluate their roots and the bone that surrounds them. Be sure you tell us about any medical conditions you may have, or problems you've had with previous extractions. You'll also need to tell us about any medicines or supplements you're taking, including aspirin, ibuprofen and any other over-the-counter medicines or herbal supplements. If you take oral contraceptives, we'll need to know about that, too, as you could be prone to more problems with healing than those who don't.

Preparing for the extraction

An Extraction should be a fairly comfortable and quick procedure.The bone and gum tissue around the tooth is numbed, then a series of steps is performed to loosen and then remove the tooth.You should feel no pain during the entire procedure but you will feel the pressure caused by the doctor loosening the tooth.

An appointment to have all four of your wisdom teeth removed usually takes only an hour or two. You may be referred to an oral surgeon for this procedure depending on the complexity and the proximity of the teeth to nerves and arteries.This decision will be based on your comfort in mind and the risk of any complication. Before we begin, we'll use anesthetic to numb the entire area around the teeth so you'll be entirely comfortable throughout the procedure.

What happens during the extraction

If your wisdom teeth haven't yet erupted (grown in) above the gumline, we'll remove them through a small incision in your gums. To remove the wisdom teeth, we'll use either forceps or an instrument called an elevator. Elevators are placed next to your tooth, and are used to gently roll it out of its socket. Forceps carefully grip the tooth so we can remove it. As the tooth is removed, you'll feel pressure, but not pain. If you feel any discomfort beyond just a sensation of pressure, be sure to let us know. We'll stop immediately and give you more anesthetic.

Sometimes, if your tooth's roots are curved or are tightly held in the socket, we might need to cut the tooth into sections and remove them one at a time. This is a very common practice, and can really reduce the amount of time and effort needed to remove an impacted wisdom tooth. Once the tooth is removed, if an incision was necessary we will close it with a couple of stitches.

Taking care of yourself after the extraction

You may feel a bit groggy after the procedure, so you should arrange to have someone pick you up when you're ready. Then, to minimize problems after your tooth is removed, you'll need to follow our post-operative instructions carefully, especially for the first twenty-four hours. These instructions will tell you how to control bleeding, how to relieve pain and minimize swelling, how to prevent dry socket, and what to eat and not eat. We'll also give you a prescription for a pain reliever, which will help to keep you comfortable. We may also prescribe an antibiotic; be sure to follow the directions precisely.