Wisdom Tooth Removal

When or if wisdom teeth come through, many people’s mouths do not have the room for the tooth to develop normally. This causes the tooth to develop irregularly or in an awkward direction. Many people experience serious pain when this happens, which results in the necessity for the wisdom tooth/teeth to be removed.

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Some of the symptoms of wisdom teeth development include:

• Pain and tenderness in the gums and jaw

• Headaches

• Swelling or redness in the gums

• An unpleasant taste in the mouth when you bite in the area of the wisdom teeth

• Bad breath

• Trismus (difficulty in opening the mouth)

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Can my Southside Smiles dentist remove my wisdom teeth?

In many cases, wisdom tooth extraction is fairly simple and can be extracted like any other tooth, which a general dentist is definitely qualified to do. However if the tooth has grown in an irregular manner, for example it has turned sideways and is pushing into the neighbouring tooth (impacted), this can be difficult to extract and while general dentists can decide whether they want to perform the extraction, many refer on to an oral surgeon.  

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How will I feel after the operation?

After the operation, you may have pain and swelling which may last up to one week. A painkiller will be prescribed to help you with the pain. The swelling will make it difficult for you to open your mouth wide, and you will need to eat soft foods that don’t require a lot of chewing.