Although extraction is always a last resort, there are situations where removal is necessary and the best treatment option. If you are experiencing discomfort or pain from your growing wisdom teeth, Mirage Dental is here to help!
Wisdom Teeth Extraction
Your SE Calgary Choice for Wisdom Teeth Extraction!
What are Wisdom Teeth?
Your last and final set of molars to grow in the back of the mouth, your wisdom teeth start developing around age seven but do not emerge until your late teens or early twenties. For some people, there is adequate room in the mouth for the wisdom teeth to erupt properly, and they cause no problems at all. For many others, however, they can cause a myriad of issues.
Because the wisdom teeth are the last permanent teeth to come in, there is often not enough room left in your mouth for them to emerge and grown correctly in your mouth. This overcrowding can lead to other teeth moving, misalignment, gum disease, and tooth decay. In other cases, there is not enough room in the mouth to allow the wisdom teeth to erupt properly and become fully functional. When this happens, wisdom teeth do not fully erupt through the gum and become stuck or “impacted.” Impacted wisdom teeth frequently cause swelling and tenderness in the gums, along with bad breath, a bad taste in your mouth, and pain when chewing. These hidden teeth can also develop cavities, infection, and in rare instances, cysts near the jawbone.
For these reasons, many of our patients seek wisdom teeth extraction to solve the symptoms associated with problem wisdom teeth and maintain good dental health.
Benefits of Wisdom Teeth Removal:
- Eliminates the swelling and pain associated with impacted wisdom teeth
- Avoid future problems with overcrowding and tooth decay
- Prevent the development of a serious infection
- Maintain proper tooth alignment, particularly for youth who have just completed orthodontic treatment and have wisdom teeth that have not erupted yet
- Ensure optimal dental health for all other teeth and gums
The Procedure
At Mirage Dental, we will do a comprehensive dental exam to assess the condition of your teeth and determine if a wisdom tooth extraction is the best option for you. Wisdom tooth extraction is a very common procedure, and our team knows how to make this a smooth, quick process for you with very minimal discomfort. To begin the procedure, we will first administer either local or sedation anesthesia to ensure that you feel as little pain as possible. Next, we will make a small incision (if needed) by the wisdom tooth, remove the wisdom teeth, and then clean and stitch the area(if needed). Finally, we will apply gauze to the extraction site for a few minutes to help a blood clot form. The entire procedure is often surprisingly brief for our patients, lasting around 30 minutes or less. Most people make a speedy recovery within one week.
Care Before and After the Procedure
Before the Procedure:
- Review your instructions on any restrictions for eating, drinking, and medications before the procedure.
After the First 24 Hours:
- Avoid any strenuous activity for the rest of the day
- Drink lots of water and avoid any hot, carbonated, caffeinated, or alcoholic drinks
- Eat soft foods and avoid anything chewy, hot, spicy, or hard
- Avoid any movement in your mouth that can dislodge the blood clot over your tooth extraction site, such as spitting, rinsing your mouth, or drinking from a straw
- Use an ice pack and any prescribed medication to relieve pain and swelling
After the First Week:
- Gently clean your mouth with a mild salt rinse made from ½ teaspoon of salt dissolved in 1 cup of water. You can begin brushing your teeth after the first 24 hours after your procedure, but be extra gentle around the area where your wisdom tooth was removed
- Continue to avoid irritating foods and beverages, such as anything hot, spicy, or hard
- Avoid activities that could dislodge your blood clot, such as drinking from a straw
- Continue to use an ice pack and recommended medication to relieve any remaining pain or swelling
When to call us:
Most patients do not experience any serious complications, and they recover fully within one week or less. However, please call us as soon as possible if you experience any of the following things:
- Swelling in your mouth or face that begins to increase, rather than decrease, after a few days
- Severe pain that will not go away even after taking your prescribed pain relief medication
- Fever (Body temperature over 100.4°F or 38.0°C)
- Pus in your tooth extraction site
- Persistent numbness or lack of feeling in your mouth or face
The Mirage Dental team is experienced at extracting wisdom teeth with minimal discomfort and inconvenience. We will help you eliminate the symptoms associated with problem wisdom teeth and get you back on track for healthy teeth and gums.
For all your wisdom teeth extraction needs, Mirage Dental is here for you! To learn more, call
Mirage Dental at (403) 272-1500 to schedule a consultation today.
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Call Mirage Dental at (403) 272-1500 to set up your Wisdom Teeth Extraction appointment today!
