Wisdom Tooth Specialist in McCordsville | LADD Dental Group

Wisdom Tooth Specialist in McCordsville 

Dr. Ladd is shown reviewing the digital x-rays of his patient's wisdom teeth! Thankfully here at LADD Dental Group of McCordsville, we have a board certified periodontist that specializes in #wisdom #teeth #extractions and #IV #Sedation. If you are currently dealing with wisdom tooth pain, give us a call today and experience the LADD Dental difference!

 

Wisdom Teeth Removal: Know Before you Go  

If you haven't had your wisdom teeth taken out yet, then you have some things to consider. Most people need them removed, and it is best to have it done by a dental specialist! 

The Wisdom Tooth Removal Run Down: 

"So, your dentist says you need to undergo wisdom teeth removal and you’re feeling a little apprehensive. Here’s everything you need to know before you go in for surgery (and how to ensure a speedy recovery) so you can go into the process feeling prepared.

By the end of this post, you’ll know:

• What to ask your dentist
• What to expect during the procedure
• What to expect in terms of pain
• How to prevent a dry socket

how necessary is wisdom teeth removal?

Simply put, there isn’t enough room for wisdom teeth because our jaws don’t grow to be big enough to have enough space for them to come in. Since there isn’t enough room for them to erupt properly, wisdom teeth tend to come in at an angle or they don’t fully emerge, which causes problems for the rest of the mouth.

Third molars (the wisdom teeth) routinely damage the teeth right next door, called second molars. Dentists recommend removing wisdom teeth before they become a problem and to avoid a more complicated surgery.

In my practice, I see very few people who don’t need their wisdom teeth removed. 

what happens if i don’t have them removed?

The reason we remove wisdom teeth is to prevent them from damaging other healthy teeth. Often, wisdom teeth erupt perpendicularly to the teeth next door (your second molars). When wisdom teeth come in sideways like this, it throws off your bite, creates an area where food gets caught, decays both of the teeth, and can even cause a painful infection. So, if you skip the surgery today, it’s likely to cause complications and issues down the road. 

But what if the wisdom teeth never come in? If your wisdom teeth don’t erupt and you leave them in, there is a 25% chance that the epithelial lining around the wisdom tooth will become cancerous. I found this in my mom while I was in dental school and it was successfully removed, but it was a complicated procedure. This is one of the many reasons that you get your wisdom teeth out earlier, rather than later, in life.

Of course, if you were born without wisdom teeth, then you can skip the rest of the article because you’re all good! This is not to be confused with people who still have wisdom teeth in the bone that haven’t erupted yet. A limited percentage of the population is born without wisdom teeth and those people never have to get surgery.

what’s the best time to get wisdom teeth removed?

before the root is fully formed.

If the roots develop fully, it becomes way more difficult to do an extraction than when only the crowns (molars) have developed. Teeth grow from the crown down to the root, so if you get it done before the root develops, then the surgery is easier with less recovery time.

To imagine what this is like, think of a skateboard or a tennis ball buried in the sand—which is easiest to remove? The skateboard has to be dug out, but the tennis ball can be rolled out — this should give you some sense of why it’s better to do the surgery before the roots come in. 

at the start of summer break.

I always recommend getting it done when life is simple, your health is good, stress is low, you have someone to take care of you, and have time to find a great surgeon (and not settle for a last minute choice). For most people, this time is during one of the summer breaks in high school. If you’re not lucky enough to have already had it done in high school, that’s okay—try to stick to the same guidelines when finding the ideal time. I will say that In my 30 years of dentistry, I’ve noticed wisdom teeth complications always happen right before a major life event, like a big exam, date, or wedding—so don’t delay! 

how long is wisdom teeth recovery time?

Typically about one week. Occasionally, it’ll take as short as four days to recover, but that’s usually just for straightforward surgery cases with no impaction or other complications.

Your recovery time will depend on:

• What type of anesthesia you choose.
  You’ll be able to bounce back a lot faster if you have just local anesthesia or nitrous than if you have to go under.
• Your nutrition during recovery.
  In just about every case, I see people who have a straight diet of Jell-O and ice cream recover more slowly.
• Preventing a dry socket.
  A lot of people delay recovery several weeks by not following proper protocol after the surgery—including using a straw, not keeping the head elevated, or brushing their teeth too soon after surgery. See my tips for how to speed up wisdom teeth recovery and how to prevent a dry socket. 

who should perform a wisdom teeth removal surgery?

I always recommend seeing a specialist. Specialists have seen it all, and if the unexpected comes up during your surgery, it won’t be a surprise to them. But having said that, there are a lot of general dentists who do wisdom teeth removals routinely and are excellent. Just make sure you see a dentist or oral surgeon who does this kind of surgery all the time. Wisdom teeth surgery has a high complication rate if not done in the hands of an expert.

Make sure your dentist is using a dental drill specifically for oral surgery. The same drill that general dentists use for fillings and crowns should not be used for wisdom teeth surgery, as it can cause an air embolism, a serious complication. Ask your dentist, “are you using an electric/pneumatic handpiece that is designed for oral surgery?” 

what kind of anesthesia will i get?

Listed from least intense to more intense, your anesthesia options are the following:

• Local anesthesia. You’re awake during the procedure and will feel some pressure but no pain. Local is administered with injections near the site of each tooth being removed. Recovery time is best with local anesthesia.
• Sedation anesthesia.: Your consciousness is suppressed, you won’t feel any pain, and will have limited to no memory of the procedure. You’ll also get local anesthesia (see above) to numb the site of each tooth being removed. Anesthesia is given through an IV.
• General anesthesia.: You’re completely out. You’ll have no pain and no memory of the procedure. Local anesthesia is still given (see above) to numb the extraction site. This is typically only offered for the more complicated situations.
• Nitrous and local. A fourth option I’m very fond of is a combination of nitrous oxide with local anesthesia. IV sedation is given most of the time for the anxiety, but nitrous is just as effective, cheaper, and takes only minutes to recover from whereas the IV sedation can take several days to wear off. If you’re particularly anxious, discuss this option with your dentist. Nitrous makes even the most introverted of us very happy and bubbly and it wears off instantly.

Side Note: Whenever sedation is given to a child in the dental operatory, I always recommend that an anesthesiologist is administering the anesthesia. This is because children are more sensitive to anesthesia than adults. Even though this may not apply to a teenager or adult getting wisdom teeth out, I include this whenever discussing sedation because you can never be too safe! 

after the procedure

If you receive sedation anesthesia or general anesthesia, you’re taken to a recovery room after the procedure. If you have local anesthesia, your brief recovery time is likely in the dental chair. 

This is an uncommon tip, but it’s important: Ask your surgeon whether sutures were used (or have the person picking you up ask on your behalf). A lot of people, a few days after the surgery, feel the bumps of the sutures in their mouth and think it’s food, so they work at it with their tongue. Or, they look in the mirror and see grey, black, green, or blue sutures and start to worry. Find out so that you know what it is if you see or feel it during recovery!

After you’ve been observed for a while, your breathing is normal, and bleeding has stopped, you’ll be allowed to go home and your designated driver can pick you up. A note to the driver picking you up: you’ll probably be sent out the back door instead of where you came in from, so as not to freak anybody out in the waiting room. 

• Do not drink out of a straw, swish, or blow.
  Sip on water, but do not gulp, spit or swish—all those things make you prone to a dry socket. No kissing and no blowing on soup to cool it down.

• Do not spit.
  You may get some blood oozing on the first day after the procedure, but don’t spit it out! Spitting can cause a dry socket by dislodging the blood clot that forms over the extraction site. Instead, to deal with the blood, continue replacing gauze over the area, as directed by your dentist.

• Don’t smoke at all (tobacco and marijuana included).
  Smoking can cause a dry socket and of course violates the “no sucking” rule above.

• Ice, Ice, Ice.
  Ice packs on the outside of the cheek are very helpful. No one has the energy to hold up an ice pack and no one is willing to do it for you, so buy something designed for the face. You have to get at least two of them so that one always stays in the freezer while the other is on your face.I recommend this one because it’s comfortable and has ice pockets right where you’ll need them. If the gel packs don’t stay cold for long enough, you can stuff ziploc bags of frozen peas in the pocket instead.
• No brushing.
  I wouldn’t recommend brushing for 2-3 days after the surgery. You shouldn’t be eating much, so it’ll be okay. All of this info and more can be found at https://askthedentist.com/wisdom-teeth-removal/" 

I hope you found the wisdom teeth info above helpful, and please reach out to any of our 6 LADD Dental Group locations if you have any questions at all!