The third molars, or what most people refer to as the wisdom teeth, are the last teeth to develop and erupt in the mouth. They start to come out at age 17 and during that time, your kid may experience issues such as pain, swelling, and infection. To resolve these, it may be necessary to have one or more wisdom teeth removed.
Following wisdom tooth removal, your kid may experience some slight pain or discomfort. These are expected and should go away after a few days. This, and all other things that you should expect after a wisdom tooth removal is discussed in this article.
Removing a wisdom tooth requires opening up the gum tissue that covers the tooth. In full impactions, the bone may need to be reduced. Depending on the position of the tooth, the dentist may also section it then pull it out in pieces or fragments.
The procedure: Wisdom tooth removal takes two hours at most. The dentist or oral surgeon will use local anesthesia to numb the area, or general anesthesia depending on the complexity of the case.
Minutes or hours after the procedure: The anesthesia will start to wear off and your kid will begin to feel some discomfort. The area will also begin to swell. To alleviate any pain or discomfort, the dentist will prescribe pain medications. Swelling, meanwhile, may be reduced by applying cold compress to the area.
24 hours after the procedure: A stable blood clot will form on the extraction site and the bleeding will stop. To prevent the area from bleeding again, the dentist will tell you to refrain from eating hot foods and beverages. Only soft cold foods and beverages should be consumed. Also, your kid may brush his or her teeth, but tell them to be careful not to touch the extraction site.
72 hours after the procedure: Bruising and swelling will subside significantly, thus allowing consumption of solid foods. Prescription medications may now be stopped and be replaced with OTC medications, which can be taken as needed only.
1 to 2 weeks after the procedure: The stitches should be gone and the extraction site should be covered by gum tissue. If the dentist used a non-resorbable suture, bring your kid back to the dental office for suture removal.
3 to 4 weeks after the procedure: The extraction site should be completely covered by gum tissue, thus completing soft tissue healing. Normal diet can be resumed and your kid may brush his or her teeth without the risk of bleeding or trauma to the extraction site.
If any of the following occurs, contract your dentist or oral surgeon right away:
Wisdom tooth removal is generally a simple outpatient treatment that should heal significantly after a few weeks. If you have any other questions about the procedure, don’t hesitate to find a Kool Smiles partner dentist near you!