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North Haven Wisdom Teeth | Also in Cromwell and Wallingford

North Haven Wisdom Teeth | Also Best in Cromwell and Wallingford

Molars are the large teeth with flat surfaces at the back of your mouth. You get three sets of molars in your life. The first comes in at around age 6 and the second at around age 12. Wisdom teeth are your third set of molars. They usually come in between the ages of 17 and 21. For some, wisdom teeth erupt without a problem. However, most people need their wisdom teeth removed.

When Do Wisdom Teeth Need Removal?

Wisdom teeth need extraction if there isn’t enough room in your mouth for them to come in normally. Sometimes wisdom teeth erupt horizontally, pushing into the side of the adjacent tooth, which can damage that tooth. And when a tooth can’t fully erupt, it is particularly susceptible to infection or other serious problems.

If your wisdom teeth need extraction, it’s generally better to do it while you’re young. Older patients are more likely to have complications. Furthermore, it’s best to extract wisdom teeth before they can damage other teeth in your mouth or affect their alignment.

Our oral surgeon, Dr. Abunasra, typically performs wisdom teeth extraction under sedation. That means you won’t remember the procedure, though you’ll still be awake.

North Haven Wisdom Teeth; A 4-part illustration of impacted wisdom teeth. Panel 1 shows angular impaction, panel 2 shows partial eruption, panel 3 shows horizontal impaction, and panel 4 shows vertical impaction of wisdom teeth.
North Haven Wisdom Teeth

During the surgery, Dr. Abunasra will:

 

  • Make a small incision in your gum.
  • Cut into the jawbone around the wisdom tooth.
  • Extract the tooth. If necessary, he may section the tooth into pieces for easier removal.
  • Clean the tooth socket.
  • Stitch the extraction site closed.

Wisdom Teeth Surgery Aftercare

While this is a routine surgery, it will still take a toll on your body. It’s best if you can rest at home for at least a couple of days after the procedure. You may feel weak and tired.

After the surgery, your jaw will be sore. It may be hard to open your mouth. You’ll need to eat soft foods and gradually progress back to a normal diet.

You’ll also need to keep up with your oral hygiene. The first few days after surgery, you should keep the site clean by rinsing it with salt water. Brush your teeth using a soft brush. You don’t want to tear any of the tissue or disrupt the healing at the surgery site, but you want to carefully get as close to the surgical site as you can, to help keep from feeding an infection.

After a week, you can gently brush the site too.

You’ll also need to watch for bleeding. It’s normal to have blood-tinged saliva. But if you have globs of blood or clots, hold pressure on the surgical site by biting down on some gauze or even a folded paper towel for a good half hour. If pressure doesn’t stop the bleeding, you’ll need to follow up with us as soon as possible. Rarely, heavy bleeding may need emergency care.

If you’d like to make an appointment to discuss having your wisdom teeth extracted, please call us at (203) 234–3900. You can also fill out our scheduling form here, and we will call you.

 

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