Wisdom Tooth Removal in London

Preparing for wisdom tooth extraction

You may have your wisdom tooth extraction in your dentist’ office, but if the tooth is severely impacted or the extraction requires surgery, your dentist may refer you to an oral surgeon. The dentist or oral surgeon will give you a local anaesthetic before the procedure and may suggest administering a sedative to make you more comfortable during the tooth extraction.

While preparing for your wisdom tooth extraction, consider asking your dentist or oral surgeon the following questions: how many wisdom teeth you need to remove, how long the procedure will take, and how long it will take to heal.

Preparing for surgery

In most cases, tooth extraction is an outpatient procedure so that you can go home on the same day after the procedure. Your dentist or surgeon will advise you on what to do before and after the surgery.

The instructions will cover your medication, including prescribed and over-the-counter medication, foods to eat, and your oral hygiene routine.

During the Wisdom Teeth Extraction Procedure

Your oral surgeon or dentist may administer a local anaesthetic, sedation anaesthetic, or general anaesthetic, depending on how complex the wisdom tooth extraction is and comfort level.

During the procedure, the dental professional will:

• Make an incision in your gums to expose the bone and wisdom tooth
• Remove the bone restricting access to your tooth root
• Divide the wisdom tooth into sections to make it easier to remove
• Remove the tooth
• Clean bone or tooth debris from the site of the removed tooth
• Stitch the wound to aid healing, although this is not necessary in some cases
• Place gauze on the extraction site to control bleeding and help the formation of a blood clot

After the Wisdom Teeth Extraction Procedure

If your dentist administered a sedative or general anaesthetic, you would need to stay in a recovery room after the procedure. If you have local anaesthesia, your recovery period will likely be in the dental chair.

Ensure you follow your dentist’ instructions for recovery. The instruction may include:

• Take an over-the-counter pain medication such as acetaminophen or prescription pain medication to manage the pain
• Use an ice pack to ease the bruising and swelling
• Avoid excessive spitting, so you don’t dislodge the blood clot in the tooth socket and replace the gauze on the extraction site after the procedure
• Rest for the remaining part of the day after your surgery, but you can resume your normal activities the next day
• Avoid strenuous activities within the first few days after the procedure
• Drink plenty of water but avoid alcohol, hot, carbonated or caffeinated beverages
• Eat only soft foods in the first 24 hours after the procedure, then subsequently, semi-soft foods but avoid chewy, hard, spicy, or hot foods
• Avoid smoking, especially within the first 72 hours after the procedure
• Don’t brush your teeth within the first 24 hours after the procedure, but you can resume your normal oral hygiene afterwards

When to call your dentist for Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Ensure you call your oral surgeon or dentist if you experience the following symptoms after your wisdom tooth extraction;

• Fever
• Pus or blood in your nasal discharge
• Pus in the tooth socket
• Excessive bleeding
• Severe and persistent pain
• A bad taste in your mouth
• Swelling that worsens after 2 – 3 days
• Persistent numbness
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing

These symptoms are usually signs of an infection, nerve damage or other serious complications that need immediate attention.

If you have impacted wisdom teeth or are concerned about your wisdom teeth coming in, visit Smile Clinic London to see a dentist or call 020 7139 8611 to schedule an appointment for a check-up.