The wise choice
At Claremont Dental, we offer safe and comfortable wisdom teeth removal services for patients across Perth, including Claremont and surrounding suburbs.
Wisdom teeth are actually the third molars and the final teeth to erupt, usually during late teens or early adulthood. Often there is not sufficient room for their eruption and they become impacted or only partially erupt. Dental concerns caused by wisdom teeth include the potential damage to healthy neighbouring teeth and their roots. They also cause infected, swollen and sore gums, which can then lead to infection of the bone surrounding the tooth and possibly a painful abscess or cyst.
Whether you need a single tooth removed or all four, our experienced dentist, Dr Shanash, can suggest different options for the removal of your wisdom tooth/teeth following a diagnosis. An initial consultation involves the assessment of your teeth and their roots by analysing an OPG X-ray (if you have not had one taken recently we will take one on site).
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are the last teeth to emerge, typically in your late teens or early adulthood. Many people experience problems when their wisdom teeth grow, as there is often not enough space for them to come through fully. Impacted or partially erupted wisdom teeth can cause:
Damage to surrounding teeth
Infection, swelling, and pain in the gums
Abscesses or cysts
Do you need to remove all your wisdom teeth?
It is advisable to have your wisdom teeth looked at if you’re between 16 and 19 years old, this will give your dentist a good indication of whether they might cause you problems as you get older. Once you have been informed of any existing or potential problems, you will be able to make a decision as to whether you feel you should have your wisdom teeth removed.
Wisdom teeth that are healthy and come in properly should not cause problems and do not need to be removed. If you are over 30 years of age and have not yet experienced any issues, you are unlikely to have problems into the future and may choose not to remove them at all. The benefits of not having your wisdom teeth removed are avoiding the risks of surgery and the costs incurred.
However, if they cause pain or an infection, crowd other teeth, or get stuck (impacted) and can’t break through your gums your dentist may recommend that you have your wisdom teeth removed. If your wisdom teeth have already broken through the gums but are unable come through fully due to a lack of space, they can also be prone to getting cavities and gum disease because they can be hard to clean and may need to be removed. Many dentists and oral surgeons feel it is best to have impacted wisdom teeth removed before the age of 20. This is because when you’re younger the bone surrounding your teeth is softer, teeth are easier to take out as the roots of the teeth are not fully formed, and you heal faster.
Wisdom Teeth Surgery Procedure
The time it takes to remove your wisdom teeth will depend on several factors, with safety and comfort always being our primary concern. Firstly, how many teeth are being removed: a single tooth or all four of them? Next, there are differing degrees of complexity involved with removing wisdom teeth. A simple extraction might consist of a fully erupted wisdom tooth with roots that are shaped favourably in a patient under 20 years old with more elastic bone. However, a tooth that is buried or impacted, or teeth being removed from older patients may take longer.
Simple Extractions: Fully erupted teeth with straightforward removal can take as little as 30 minutes.
Complex Extractions: Impacted or buried teeth, especially in older patients, may require up to an hour or more.
That said, it would be uncommon for a procedure which involves the removal of all four wisdom teeth (some which may be buried or impacted) to take longer than an hour when performed by an experienced operator. While having a single wisdom tooth removed may take as little as 30 minutes.
Wisdom tooth removal pain
When you’re in experienced hands having your wisdom teeth removed does not need to be painful. The use of local anaesthetic agents administered by skilled operators (who perform these procedures day-in and day-out), a calming environment and a supportive and caring team can minimise any discomfort you may feel while easing your anxiety through the procedure.
If you do feel you might not be able to tolerate having your wisdom teeth removed whilst alert and fully awake, we can offer the full range of relaxation and sedation techniques; ranging from the use of nitrous oxide (happy gas), to being placed into a deep state of relaxation through the use of an intravenous (twilight) sedation, right through to being put completely to sleep for your procedure.
Following your procedure, you will be clearly advised as to the appropriate pain relief instructions to follow when you return home, this will include any analgesics or antibiotics that may be required to ease any discomfort during the healing process. So whether you are having just one wisdom tooth removed, or all four of them, be assured that we will find the best solution that will work for you.
Wisdom teeth healing time
Generally a speedy recovery from wisdom teeth removal will take about three days, but in some cases there may still be swelling and discomfort for a week or more. After surgery, bruising, swelling and tenderness in the face and neck are common. To minimise any pain you may be experiencing, use ice pack compresses on you jaw, eat soft foods and keep your mouth clean with a salt water or antiseptic mouth rinse. Our team will provide you with personalised aftercare instructions, including:
- Using ice packs to reduce swelling
- Eating soft foods to prevent irritation
- Keeping the surgical site clean with a saltwater rinse
It is vital you follow all at-home care instructions your dentist gives you after surgery. However unusual symptoms appear such as discharge, severe pain or fever, make sure you contact your dentist straight away to avoid infection or complications.
Wisdom Teeth Removal FAQs
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