7 Reasons Not to Expect Emergency Wisdom Teeth Extraction

March 27, 2019 11:12 am | Published by
Middle-aged man with sensitive teeth cringes in pain and touches his cheek

Do you have a dental emergency related to your wisdom teeth? An emergency dentist can relieve your pain, examine the teeth, and make treatment recommendations. But extracting wisdom teeth can be different from extracting a single tooth that is too damaged to preserve. Wisdom teeth are easier to extract when you’re younger. There are several reasons that an emergency dentist might refer you to an oral surgeon to do the extraction

Why an Emergency Dentist Might Hesitate to Remove Wisdom Teeth

An emergency dentist’s first priority is to relieve your pain. After that, the cause of your pain will be determined. Unless there is immediate danger for your oral health, dental procedures will likely be performed at a second appointment.

Other than the above factors, why the hesitation?

  1. As teeth continue to develop, the roots get longer and your jawbone becomes more dense.
  2. Removing impacted wisdom teeth in a mature adult can be complex.
  3. Post-surgery recovery can be more difficult than ordinary extractions.
  4. Many emergency dentists are not equipped to handle difficult extractions.

The combination of your age and the fact that your teeth are impacted and infected makes the extraction more complicated.

Complications that Can Result from Wisdom Teeth

There are several complications that can result from impacted wisdom teeth. The possible complications are a good reason to have a consultation with an oral surgeon. You might need to be referred to an oral surgeon by a general dentist.

  1. Infection – Pericoronitis is the dental term for a gum infection that can result from impacted wisdom teeth. Impacted teeth put pressure on your gums and cause them to become irritated and infected. As time passes the pain and swelling can make it difficult to chew and swallow.
  2. Crowding of your other teeth – Impacted teeth can cause crowding. Depending on the position of your wisdom teeth, they can push other teeth out of alignment and damage your gums or jawbone. Orthodontic treatment might be needed.
  3. Cysts in the jawbone – Impacted teeth can put pressure on the jawbone and cause a cyst to form. The cyst can spread and damage the jawbone and adjacent teeth.

What to Expect When Your Teeth Are Extracted

If your wisdom teeth are significantly impacted, you wouldn’t want to insist that an emergency dentist to attempt to remove them. The risks and complications are too great. The process of removing your teeth can be quite painful. An oral surgeon will assess the complexity of the surgery and recommend the right level of sedation dentistry. Sedation dentistry, in addition to local anesthetic, will ensure your comfort throughout the procedure.

Your oral surgeon will give you instructions for post-operative care. In about a week, you’ll return to the oral surgeon’s office to have the stitches removed and to have the extraction sites examined for proper healing.

It’s best not to pressure an emergency dentist to remove your wisdom teeth. If you see an emergency dentist, follow his or her recommendations for safe extraction and a good outcome.

This post is sponsored by Portland, Oregon dentists Dr. Mo Saleh and Dr. Rima Shaer. Dr. Saleh has advanced training in oral surgery and extractions.


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