Wisdom Teeth Dental Questions

Early, preferably during your teenage years. There is an enormous advantage in removing your wisdom teeth before the roots have had a chance to grow. Your recovery is much quicker, the surgery is technically easier, and the risk of complications is much lower.

Your wisdom teeth are not useful teeth. They do not aid in chewing or function. However, they are located in the very back of your jaw, where it is difficult for your toothbrush or floss to reach. This difficulty in hygiene makes the teeth much more susceptible to cavities and infection. When wisdom teeth are removed at a later age, the surgery becomes more difficult and the recovery time is prolonged. We do not believe that if wisdom teeth come in straight and don’t bother you, they do not need to be removed. We believe they should be removed as early as possible.

Everyone heals differently. Generally, when the wisdom teeth are removed during the teenage years, recovery is usually less than a week. However, when the roots are fully formed with a solid foundation to the jawbone, the recovery is much longer. A broad estimate for recovery time is less than a week if under 20 years old; 1-2 weeks for adults with difficult extractions. Dr. Gill takes pride in his patients having a very smooth and quick recovery.

We recommend two types of medicines following the surgery. The first medicine is prescription strength ibuprofen, which will provide baseline pain relief without the side effects of the stronger narcotics. The second medicine is a strong narcotic, either Tylenol #3 or equivalent. These medicines have many undesirable side effects, and therefore should only be used for breakthrough episodes of discomfort.

Yes, and this option is highly recommended, as long as there is no medical condition that would make it unsafe. If you are anxious or apprehensive about the surgery, we have the capability to make sure you are asleep, comfortable, and that you don’t recall any part of the surgery. You will likely not remember the Novocaine shot, sounds of the instruments, or pressure from the procedure. If you have had a previous bad experience, or would prefer to not remember any of the surgery, you will find this option appealing.

It depends on the difficulty of the procedure. When removing wisdom teeth in younger patients, we generally recommend removing all four at the same time while the patient is asleep. Furthermore, by removing all the wisdom teeth in one appointment, the patient has to go through only one recovery period versus multiple.