Everything around the wisdom tooth surgery
Whether a wisdom tooth extraction is necessary depends on many different factors. Last but not least, it is of course necessary to remove the tooth if it is inflamed and painful several times in a row. The dentist can see from the X-ray image whether the wisdom tooth has caries, whether it is growing and damaging the neighbouring tooth, whether a cyst has formed or even a tumour.
If there is a fracture of the lower jaw and the tooth is then in the fracture gap, it must also be removed, since germs may have gotten to the tooth and it impairs the healing of the wound. In addition, a wisdom tooth may have to be pulled out as a precautionary measure as part of a dental therapy, for example if the later prosthesis presses on the gums resting on the wisdom tooth. In the latter case, the tooth can create pressure points as a result of the loads and even displace the gums until the prosthesis lies directly on the tooth.
The orthodontist can also order to remove the wisdom teeth to gain more space in the jaw. First of all one should be aware that the extraction of the wisdom teeth is an operation and as with any operation there are certain risks. The surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia.
In the lower jaw, a nerve is anaesthetized for this purpose, which provides feeling to all the teeth on one side, as well as to the lip, and the person who does this for the tongue. In rare cases (the probability ranges from 0.06%-4%), the nerve may be damaged and the sensation may be temporarily or permanently lost in these regions. After the operation, wound healing disorders and post-operative bleeding may occur.
Especially diabetics and people who take anticoagulant medication have to deal with this. In addition, an opening of the maxillary sinus can occur in the upper jaw. This means that if the wisdom tooth is very close to the maxillary sinus and it is removed surgically, sometimes a connection is formed.
This must then be closed with care. Otherwise there is the danger of an inflammation of the maxillary sinus. The neighbouring tooth is only very rarely affected.
In very rare cases, the lower jaw can break during extraction, as the wisdom tooth is usually located directly in the bone of the jaw angle and the dentist has to use a lot of force to remove it. After the operation the general condition can be affected, one should have painkillers available, cool the cheek and eat soft food. Immediately after the operation, one should avoid hot or very cold food until the effect of the anaesthetic has worn off.
You should also avoid caffeinated drinks for the first 24 hours and nicotine for a week. The follow-up checks at the dentist should also not be forgotten. The extent to which the patient is impaired after the operation depends, among other things, on the course of the operation and the patient’s condition.
It can lead to wound healing disorders, post-operative bleeding, swelling, as well as to a so-called lockjaw, which – as the name suggests – becomes noticeable when the patient cannot open his or her mouth wide for a while. If the extracted tooth was previously not visible, i.e. it was still covered by gum or even completely enclosed by bone, the dentist usually has to use drills to free the tooth from the surrounding bone and pull it out. This leaves a hole in the bone, which must heal over the next few months.
Especially after such an operation, it is normal that a certain amount of pain emanates from the wound. This should subside after a few days and become less and less. It is recommended to use painkillers at the beginning, to cool the wound and to rinse it gently with disinfectant solutions only after the second day after the operation.
The wound resulting from the removal of the wisdom tooth can become inflamed like any other wound. In order to avoid inflammation, many patients make the mistake of wanting to clean the mouth and rinse it thoroughly. This is not advisable as the wound has to fill with blood so that the cells it contains can initiate wound healing and thus close the wound.
If the blood is flushed out, this process is absent and the risk of inflammation is increased. Therefore, one day after the operation one should completely avoid rinsing and also brush the teeth near the wound only carefully. On the second day after the operation, disinfectant mouthwashes can be used to remove any germs that could cause inflammation.
Immediately after the wisdom tooth operation, one should avoid hot or very cold food until the anaesthesia has worn off, as one does not feel any scalding or hypothermia. It is recommended to avoid solid food for up to three days, or to make sure that no small grains of a bread roll, for example, get lost in the miracle and remain there. This could cause an inflammation.
In addition, drinks containing coffee, tea and alcohol should be avoided for at least 24 hours after the operation. Products containing milk contain lactic bacteria that impede the healing of wounds. You should also avoid nicotine for a week if possible.
