Gentle Extraction with Dr. Chaudhry
Wisdom teeth are an extra set of molars that typically erupt during your late teens. While there are exceptions, most people’s mouths don’t have enough space to accommodate the eruption of wisdom teeth. As a result, the vast majority of patients will need to have them removed.
Since going into private practice over 20 years ago, Dr. Chaudhry has performed too many wisdom tooth extractions to count. Learn about our removal process and how Dr. Chaudhry will ensure your comfort and safety throughout the procedure.
What Is An Impacted Wisdom Tooth?
When a wisdom tooth is blocked from erupting properly, it becomes impacted. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including not enough space in the jaw or interference from a neighboring tooth.
It’s important to remove impacted wisdom teeth before they start to affect your health. Without treatment, impacted wisdom teeth can lead to an oral infection or a misaligned bite, resulting in severe pain and other complications.
Symptoms of Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Common symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth include:
- Bad breath
- Difficulty opening your mouth
- Pain or tenderness in your gums and jawbone
- Headaches and jaw aches
- Swelling and bleeding in your gums
- Swelling of the lymph nodes in your neck
- Unpleasant taste in your mouth
The Wisdom Tooth Removal Process
Many patients are afraid to have their wisdom teeth removed due to their assumption that the procedure is painful. In fact, neglecting to remove impacted wisdom teeth will result in far greater pain than anything you’ll experience during treatment
Dr. Chaudhry will begin the procedure by administering a local anesthetic to numb the extraction area. This will ensure you don’t feel any pain during the procedure. If you’re having all your wisdom teeth removed at once, he may use a general anesthetic instead.
Once the area has been numbed, Dr. Chaudhry will open the gum tissue covering your wisdom tooth and separate it. This gives him easy access to your tooth, allowing him to remove it quickly and painlessly. After your tooth is removed, he’ll stitch up your gums to begin the healing process.
Aftercare
The recovery period for wisdom tooth surgery is only a few days, but there are some important tips that you’ll need to keep in mind if you want to avoid complications.
Most important of all is the day of your surgery, when your surgical area will be at its most sensitive. Make sure to avoid physical activity, as well as rinsing your mouth or drinking through a straw. You may also have to avoid certain foods for a few days.
For a complete list of instructions, visit our helpful wisdom tooth aftercare page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I be able to drive myself home after surgery?
This depends on the type of anesthetic and sedation used for your procedure. If you’re only given local anesthetic, then you’ll be ready to drive yourself home after treatment. However, if you receive a general anesthetic or IV sedation, then you’ll need to arrange for a ride.
Can I eat before my surgery? What about after?
If you’re undergoing sedation or general anesthetic, you’ll need to avoid eating or drinking anything for six hours before your surgery. Otherwise, you can eat and drink without restrictions.
Does everyone need to have their wisdom teeth removed?
No — though it’s rare, some patients have enough jaw space for their wisdom teeth to erupt without causing any issues.
How do I know if my wisdom teeth will come in correctly?
Unfortunately, you won’t know if your wisdom teeth will be able to grow in properly until they start erupting, at which point they become harder to remove. For this reason, Dr. Chaudhry will often recommend removing your wisdom teeth before they erupt.
Visit Dr. Chaudhry for Wisdom Tooth Removal
If you have one or more impacted wisdom teeth, Dr. Chaudhry can remove them safely and comfortably. By having them removed as early as possible, you can avoid painful complications in the future, saving you time and money in the process.
Call one of our two locations in the Lehigh Valley area and schedule a consultation with Dr. Chaudhry today. We look forward to meeting you.
Ready to get your widsom teeth removed?