Fact or Fiction? How Much Do You Know About Wisdom Tooth Extraction?

If you or your child is due to have a wisdom tooth extraction, your mind maybe conjuring up a special set of questions and concerns. Usually for most people, the internet is a great resource for research, but when it comes to wisdom tooth extractions, it can be easy to find false information that can not only scare you, but it will prepare you for what is to come. At MGS Dental, we always want to keep our patients at the highest level of education when it comes to what we do in office. With that in mind today we’re going to address a few different topics that are either fact or fiction concerning wisdom tooth extraction.

Fact or Fiction: An Oral Surgeon Doesn’t Need to Perform My Procedure

It is very common for general dentistry offices to advertise their competency and wisdom tooth removal procedures. However, many patients fail to realize that not every dental professional is qualified to perform such a serious procedure. When looking into who should perform the procedure, it is important to keep in mind that an oral or maxillofacial surgeon is required to spend at least 4 years training in a hands-on environment. Oral surgeons also train alongside medical anesthesiologist to safely administer anesthesia to keep you comfortable during your surgery experience.

If I Can’t Feel My Wisdom Teeth, Then They Must Not Pose a Problem to My Oral Health

This is where we begin to separate fact from fiction. There are many people who don’t need to get their wisdom teeth removed, but this decision is made based on your personal health, and recommendations from your general dentist or oral surgeon. However there are still those that don’t feel their wisdom teeth, but are still left at a high risk point. Even if your wisdom teeth are positioned under your gums in a way that will damage your misaligned your teeth, it is recommended to remove, even if you display no symptoms.

I Can Only Eat Soft Foods Immediately Following My Wisdom Teeth Extraction

After your wisdom tooth surgery, this is recommended. Right after surgery, you’ll still feel numb from local anesthesia, but as the numbness wears off gradually you’ll begin to feel tenderness of the jaw and mouth. This pain or soreness can be managed with over the counter pain medication, but in order to keep from irritating the tender areas that have just been worked on and are starting to heal, we recommend eating only soft foods.

To address any more concerns or questions that you may have regarding wisdom tooth extraction, feel free to give our Tewksbury, MA, office a call.