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The wisdom teeth are the outermost teeth in the jaw. They are like all our other teeth created before the birth in the jaw, but develop only in adulthood to its final size. On each side of the jaw in the upper and in the lower jaw arises ever a wisdom tooth. He breaks through the gum, or he gets stuck in the jaw. In many people, the wisdom teeth remain hidden under the gums and barely noticeable. But if they damage neighboring teeth or cause pain, it makes sense to remove them. Either they can simply be pulled or the dentist or the maxillofacial surgeon has to surgically remove them.

Overview of this article

Wisdom teeth are not always disturbing

Wisdom teeth do not always cause damage to the teeth. If they have enough space in the oral cavity, they can also be obtained. In some people, they even serve a useful purpose, because if necessary dentures such as a dental bridge can be attached to them. The dentist determines if your wisdom teeth are displacing and damaging your other teeth. If this is the case, either the surgical removal or the pulling are necessary.

Problems in the mouth due to wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth can cause a number of problems:

  • they are slanted and move the teeth
  • they are difficult to access for tooth cleaning and become carious
  • they damage the roots of adjacent teeth
  • they cause gum hoods and thereby inflammation and pain
  • they damage the jaw and nerves

Often wisdom teeth find too little spac ein the dentition. As a result, they develop an oblique position during slow growth. They then often remain retracted (trapped in the jaw), or they are partially retarded, that is, they only break through the surface of the gum to a small extent.

If they lie diagonally, they often press against adjacent teeth and damage them by the resulting pressure. Pain and inflammation are the result. Even the root of the adjacent tooth can be damaged, as well as the jaw and nerves in the jaw area. A mucosal flap often forms in the lower jaw to cover the growing wisdom tooth. Inflammation can occur underneath this due to food debris.

The wisdom teeth are located far back in the oral cavity. They are often difficult to clean and are therefore particularly susceptible to bacteria that damage the enamel. If wisdom teeth are heavily affected by caries, it is also advisable to extract them.

Experienced specialists in surgical removal

Surgically experienced dentists and oral surgeons perform surgical removal of wisdom teeth. The treating dentist will eventually issue a referral to a specialist who will then perform the wisdom tooth surgery.

What possibilities of removal are there?

Depending on how your wisdom teeth develop, a simple pull is enough or an operation is required. When the teeth are already outgrown, they can usually be pulled quickly and easily. Then, under local anesthesia, your wisdom teeth are pulled out without you feeling anything.

The situation is different when your wisdom tooth grows diagonally or is still far in the jaw. Then the procedure takes longer and several steps are necessary. Only after the removal of mucous membrane and bone tissue, the tooth can be removed. As a rule, this procedure is carried out by oral surgeons or oral and maxillofacial surgeons and facial surgeons. Even highly experienced and experienced dentists operate the wisdom teeth. Local anesthesia is also a matter of course in this operation. If the procedure is particularly complex or if patients develop anxiety, general anesthesia may be recommended for such surgery.

What is the procedure for removing wisdom teeth by surgery?

First, decide together with your doctor if you have all four teeth removed at the same time during an operation. It is often advisable to first remove the teeth on one side of the jaw and then to operate the other side a few weeks later. This will help to reduce the pain after surgery to one side, which is probably more comfortable for you as a patient. They are easier to eat and have only one affected jaw side. With simultaneous removal of all four wisdom teeth, you have four wounds in the mouth. The chewing hurts on both sides during the healing process. But the whole wound healing process takes place in a shorter time.

You will be anaesthetized for the operation of wisdom teeth. Either you decide on a local anesthetic in consultation with your doctor, or you prefer a general anesthetic or the use of nitrous oxide. If the wisdom tooth has not yet outgrown, the gum is cut open and detached from the bone. The tooth is free and can be pulled. In some cases, the tooth is very oblique, or it is deviating deformed. Then the surgeon removes him layer by layer, or he divides it into small pieces and removes it carefully. Then the wound is sutured. This accelerates the healing and prevents the ingress of germs. After about seven to ten days, you can pull the strings.

Can complications occur after surgery?

The larger and more extensive the procedure, the higher the likelihood that mild or severe pain will occur thereafter. The symptoms can last for several days and then disappear slowly. You get soothing and anti-inflammatory medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Aspirin with its active ingredient acetylsalicylic acid must not be taken. It has a blood thinning effect and can lead to rebleeding. If the pain does not subside, you should contact the attending physician.

If there is a slight rebleeding, there is no reason to worry. If the bleeding is weak or the saliva turns reddish, this is not a problem. If the bleeding is more severe, you can try to stop it by pressing on a clean tissue or bite on a sterile gauze bandage for one hour. If the bleeding does not stop, please visit your dentist.

What should be considered after the operation?

You will receive a leaflet from your dentist after the operation, informing you about all behavioral measures. In general, wound healing is uncomplicated if you follow these instructions.

Immediately after an operation under anesthesia you should not drive yourself. Rest is announced in the next few days. Furthermore, you should refrain from certain foods and physical activities and activities, that could interfere with wound healing.

These include

  • nicotine
  • stimulating drinks such as coffee, black tea, cola, alcohol
  • very hot foods and drinks
  • dairy products
  • crumbly foods, they could partially settle in the wound and contribute to infections
  • exercise, housework and other physical exertions

It is best to eat liquid or creamy food.

The teeth should be gently cleaned with a very soft toothbrush for the first time after surgery.

If your wisdom teeth damage your other teeth, it is advisable to have them removed by an experienced specialist. Tooth extraction takes place painlessly under anesthesia, as well as the operation. After that, take a few days precautions. In most cases, the healing process is quick and easy.

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