Wisdom teeth are removed after consultation with a dentist and according to certain indications. Patients are often worried about the consequences of such an operation.
Wisdom teeth appear in a person much later than the main row teeth. This usually occurs between the ages of 17 and 24. Dentists call these teeth "eights" according to their serial number from the center of the dentition. Most often, a person erupts two pairs of wisdom teeth: a pair on the lower jaw and a pair on the upper.
Professionals at the moment agree that wisdom teeth do not carry a special functional load in terms of chewing food. Therefore, if after eruption the third molars began to bring inconvenience or deteriorate, then it is better to remove them before the problem spreads to the entire oral cavity.
Problems that may arise after the appearance of the "eights"
One of the indications for the removal of a wisdom tooth is its incorrect location on the jaw. Since the third molars appear later than all other teeth, they often simply do not have enough space in the dentition, which causes the patient some inconvenience or pain. Also, wisdom teeth are quite difficult to clean due to their specific location, which leads to caries and other dental diseases.
An improperly growing wisdom tooth can lead to even more serious problems: for example, cause deformation of the entire dentition. In this regard, a person begins to experience pain in the jaw, which can develop into a headache. In addition, the appearance of the entire dentition deteriorates.
If the patient is faced with one of the above problems, then it is advisable to remove the "eight" at the stage of teething - this way the operation will take less time and be less painful; in addition, the rehabilitation period will be reduced.
The process of removing wisdom teeth
A professional dentist will definitely consult the patient before prescribing an operation to remove wisdom teeth. First of all, it will be necessary to eliminate existing diseases of other teeth in order to avoid the spread of infection. It also makes sense to carry out the removal of third molars one by one, and not all at once. Since the bone tissue is affected during the operation, after each removal, a certain rehabilitation period is necessary, which will make it possible for the swelling to subside and reduce pain after the cessation of anesthesia.
Possible complications after the removal of third molars
The problem, called “dry socket” in dentistry, is not such a rare postoperative complication. It occurs in the absence or loss of a blood clot, which should close the hole where the tooth was located. But this problem is also eliminated by simple manipulations - the doctor puts a swab with a medicinal solution on the hole, which will need to be changed periodically until the wound heals.
A rarer complication is called paresthesia and is numbness in certain parts of the mouth if the jaw nerve has been affected. This phenomenon is quite unpleasant and can last from several days to a month, but usually goes away on its own and without consequences.
Basic postoperative recommendations
There are a few simple rules, the observance of which helps to avoid postoperative complications:
- do not eat for two hours after tooth extraction;
- limit exposure to high temperatures in the area of the extracted tooth;
- refrain from taking hot baths;
- to carry out the prescribed rinses with all possible accuracy;
- hygienic procedures for brushing teeth are possible no earlier than 24 hours after the operation;
- try to chew food with the other side of the dentition.
If the erupted wisdom teeth do not bring you discomfort, do not lead to a curvature of the dentition and do not deteriorate, then there is no need to remove them. Carry out hygiene procedures more carefully to avoid the disease of the "eights", and they will not cause you any special problems.
