Has your dentist recommended that you get your wisdom teeth taken out? Are you unsure of why this is necessary, or what the procedure entails?

In many cases, the wisdom teeth will begin to erupt between the ages of 18 and 25. Often times this eruption causes painful pressure and crowding on other teeth, especially if the wisdom teeth are impacted. Wisdom teeth can be impacted in a variety of different ways including horizontally, vertically, and distally ( pointing towards the back of the mouth). If you are not experiencing any pain or discomfort, but your dentist has still recommended that you have your wisdom teeth removed, he or she has likely noticed that they are impacted.

Even if your wisdom teeth are correctly positioned and not causing you any pain, there is no reason to keep them. They are susceptible to cavities and may be more difficult to clean than the rest of the teeth. As human beings have evolved, our jawbones have become smaller, making wisdom teeth unnecessary to keep. The sooner you have your wisdom teeth removed the better, as waiting until later in life will increase the risk of complications, infection and delayed healing time.

Rest assured, wisdom teeth extraction is a very common procedure. The surgery will be performed in your dentist or oral surgeons office. You should not feel any pain during the procedure, just pressure as the teeth are being removed. You may opt for sedation dentistry, especially if you are getting all four wisdom teeth out at once. The length of the procedure depends on how badly impacted the wisdom teeth are.

It’s normal to feel some pain, swelling and discomfort following wisdom teeth extraction. Your dentist will give you instructions on after care. You will need to eat a diet of soft foods for the first few days after the surgery. Foods such as pudding, applesauce, hummus, and yogurt are good foods to eat while you are healing. You should be back to normal within a week of the surgery.