Wisdom teeth or Third molars exhibit considerable fluctuation in the timing of appearance in the mouth. Studies consent that they are the last teeth to erupt in the mouth. Moreover, if they fail to erupt, they may remain partially or completely inside the bone giving rise to several difficulties as the years’ pass.
In addition, a wisdom tooth lies in a highly inaccessible area in the mouth. This makes routine cleaning almost impossible. Hence, the only time that the area around and behind the wisdom tooth is clean, is when you pay a bi-annual visit to your Canberra dentist for a routine dental check-up or cleaning of the teeth. Our team at Molonglo Dental Surgery promotes regular check-ups and annual cleaning and fluoridation of teeth.
Another problem associated with an inaccessible wisdom tooth is a rapid progression of dental caries and a swelling of the gums in that area due to inadequate oral hygiene. An added difficulty with retaining wisdom teeth is crooked teeth elsewhere in the mouth. This would hinder an orthodontic treatment or fixing of ‘braces’ on your teeth. Therefore, considering all these factors and after completing a thorough dental evaluation while accommodating patient compliance, your friendly dentist at Molonglo Dental Surgery advocates a gentle and pain-free wisdom tooth removal.
Wisdom tooth removal is often a minor surgical procedure that culminates in the placement of ‘stitches’ or sutures on the gums. As mentioned earlier, the wisdom tooth, most often, lies in an unreachable region for you. Your dentist at Molonglo Dental Clinic and her efficient team will ensure that your wisdom tooth extraction is as painless and uneventful as possible.
Moreover, in case of a wisdom tooth or third molar emergency such as swollen gums, unbearable tooth pain or inability to open your mouth, the team at Molonglo Dental clinic will be prompt in responding to your grievance. Indeed, you are assured of an Emergency Dentist operating after-hours, living true to the profession of a healthcare provider.
The competent dental surgeon and her excellent team at Molonglo Dental Clinic will take utmost care to guarantee that the removal of your wisdom tooth is painless, atraumatic and as far as possible, not too distant from your realms of comfort. However, after the procedure, all necessary instructions must be mandatorily adhered to avoid considerable post-surgical discomfort, pain or swelling.
Provided below a list of instructions established by your caring dentist at Molonglo Dental to safeguard you from any post-surgical complications:
Post-Operative Instructions:
• You must bite firmly on the gauze placed over the wound for 30–45 min. In case bleeding continues, another gauze is placed over the wound for another hour.
• After the procedure, an ice pack wrapped in a towel is placed over the surgical area. This should be done every 15–20 min at a time, and repeated every half hour, for at least 4–6 hours. An ice pack will reduce the swelling that appears after the surgery.
• You can brush but very gently, certainly avoiding the area of surgery. Rinsing the mouth is not permitted for the first 24 hours after the surgery. Thereafter, the mouth may be rinsed very gently with salt water, 3–4 times a day for 3–4 days.
• Antibiotics are mandatory for any patient who undergoes any invasive procedure such as this. Painkillers should be consumed, as long as the pain persists. The post-surgical medication routine must be precisely observed.
• Your diet on the day of the surgical procedure must consist of cold, liquid foods such as pudding, yoghurt, milk, cold soup and orange juice.
• Stitches on the gums are usually removed in a week. A recall appointment is given for a follow-up examination and to have chat about how you feel.
• It is advised to drink plenty of water after the surgery. Strictly avoid alcoholic, caffeinated, carbonated or hot beverages in the first 24 hours after the surgery. Do not drink with a straw for at least a week after the extraction because the sucking action can dislodge the blood clot from the socket. ( The blood clot that forms after the removal of any tooth, aids in the repair of the hollow bone to fill up. Dislodging of the clot will prevent bone-healing and leave behind a well-like cavity called a Dry Socket.)
• If you smoke, wait for 2 weeks. Using nicotine products after oral surgery can delay healing and increase the risk of complications and impede the filling-up of the hole in the jaw bone.
What must you do if you develop severe pain on the third or fourth day after extraction? Or if your family, friends or coworkers comment on your bad breath? Or you’re suddenly experiencing pain in the ear on the same side as that of the extracted tooth?
Well, these aforementioned symptoms will warrant immediate attention. You may promptly call your thoughtful dentist at Molonglo Dental Surgery for an immediate appointment.
Severe pain on the fourth or fifth day after the extraction, bad breath, inability to open the mouth and pain in the ear on the same side as the extracted tooth cumulatively represent a condition called Dry Socket.
Dry socket is a post-surgical circumstance that arises due to the following reasons:
➢ Contraceptives– Oral Contraceptives are known to play a significant part in developing Dry Socket. Some studies indicate that the oestrogen in Oral Contraceptives is known to prevent the formation of the clot in the hole left behind after removing the tooth. Failure of clot-formation will prevent the hole from filling with bone leading to unbearable pain or bad breath.
➢ Menstrual Cycle– According to a few recent researches, undergoing a wisdom tooth extraction mid-cycle led to more cases of Dry Socket in female patients than those that were extracted at the end of the cycle (Day 22- Day 28). However, in case of a dental emergency during your menstrual cycle, the expert dentist at Molonglo Dental will attend you and perform an absolute pre and post-surgical routine to confirm as little distress as possible.
➢ Nicotine– Nicotine is a crucial factor hindering wound healing after wisdom tooth removal. The heat released during smoking, tobacco and its byproducts along with the suction on the cigarette can dislodge the clot from the cavity ( hole left behind after the extraction). Hence, your dentist at Molonglo Dental Clinic emphasises ‘strictly no smoking for 2 weeks, or more if required.’
Our team, at Molonglo Dental Clinic, is strongly committed to providing excellent dental care and suitable treatment alternatives to every patient. We are devoted to upgrading our patients’ lives with our remarkable knowledge, competent skills and state-of-art dental equipment.
Your compassionate dentist at Molonglo Dental Surgery comprehends and sympathises with your woes. Accordingly, we’ve confirmed our quality treatment services by making them more affordable and accessible to you. Therefore, we offer our patients ZipPay, After-Pay and the National Dental Plan (NDP), powered by Certegy Ezi-Pay.
What does that mean to you? Well, these plans offer patients an interest-free plan to spread treatment costs over smaller fortnightly payments. You may refer to the Payment Plan option on our website for details and eligibility criteria.
As the distinguished author Wayne Chirisa says, “ A genuine smile comes from the heart, but a healthy smile needs good dental care.”
