FAQs
Q: What are wisdom teeth?
A: Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars to come in, typically in the late teens or early twenties, as you’re becoming wiser and entering adulthood.
- Q: Why should I have them removed?
A: When there’s not enough room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth to fully erupt, they become impacted, unable to fully erupt. This can lead to infection, disease, damage, and crowding, all of which can cause complications down the road.
If you have your wisdom teeth removed, all potential for these problems is eliminated.
- Q: Does everyone need to get his or her wisdom teeth removed?
A: No, but even if you don’t need to, it’s a good idea, because wisdom teeth that come in nicely are still prone to decay and disease and must be monitored closely your entire life.
Thanks to their location in the back of your mouth and the fact that you already have 28 other teeth, it’s hard to brush and floss adequately. That definitely can lead to problems down the road.
- Q: When is the best time to get wisdom teeth removed?
A: The sooner, the better. Wisdom teeth removal is ideal between the ages of 17-25 before those third molars become established and the roots have fully developed.
Having your wisdom teeth extracted while you’re young increases the likelihood of a simple, complication-free surgery.
- Q: Do all four teeth have to be pulled?
A: It’s not uncommon to have only one or two of your wisdom teeth removed. When you come in for a consultation, we’ll assess your oral health and determine the best course of action for your individual case.
- Q: Is it true that the surgery takes less than an hour?
A: Yes! More often than not, our wisdom teeth removal patients are in and out of our office in less than an hour. The length of the procedure depends on the severity of any impactions, the number of teeth we’re extracting, and a few other factors.
Regardless of the time, it takes to safely remove your wisdom teeth we make sure you remain comfortable the entire time.
- Q: What happens on the day of removal?
A: The first decision to be made is if you’re going to be sedated. We know that you want to be comfortable, and most patients want to be unaware of what’s going on.
You’ll arrive at our office with a parent who will drive you home after the surgery. The outpatient surgery will begin once you’re fully relaxed and will be finished within an hour. Plan to be at our office for 1 ½-2 hours.
- Q: Do wisdom teeth extractions hurt?
A: You won’t feel a thing during your surgery. But patients typically have some discomfort the first couple of days as the anesthesia wears off.
This is easy to manage with appropriate pain medications. Be sure to avoid smoking and drinking with straws because these activities can dislodge the blood clot that needs to form over the wound to promote healing. If it gets knocked loose, a painful condition called dry socket can result.
- Q: What does “impacted” mean?
A: An impacted tooth is one that is unable to push through the gums and completely erupt. It’s a common condition that can lead to complications if you fail to have your wisdom teeth removed. 90% of people have at least one impacted wisdom tooth.
- Q: What is a dry socket?
A: Dry socket is a temporary complication that arises when a blood clot becomes dislodged from the extraction site exposing tissue. The condition can be painful, but most cases can be avoided by following home-care instructions including the avoidance of straws and smoking, as mentioned above.
- Q: What is the cost of a wisdom teeth extraction?
A: Because of the different types of impaction and anesthesia options, it’s difficult to present an exact estimate of what our services will cost without an evaluation.
Once we have reviewed your X-rays and insurance coverage, we will do our very best to give you a close estimate of what your financial portion will be. We encourage you to check with both your medical and dental insurance carriers to determine your out-of-pocket expenses.
- Q: What are some possible complications after wisdom teeth removal?
A: The most common problem following a wisdom teeth extraction is dry socket. Nerve damage is another possible, yet rare, complication. If nerve damage does occur, it usually gets better within a few weeks.
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