What are wisdom teeth?

Why do I need to have one or more wisdom teeth removed?

A wisdom tooth may need to be removed for one or more of the following reasons.

• repeated or serious infection of the gum
• tooth decay
• a wisdom tooth can grow out too far and damage the cheek or gum
• your tooth may be in a position that makes it difficult to clean properly
• you may have a cyst near or around your tooth, or other jaw problems
• you are due to have a procedure to move your jaw forwards or backwards
• An orthodontist (specialist in the development and position of teeth and jaws) may need to make space to move other teeth backwards.
• your tooth may be in the line of a jaw fracture

Are there any alternatives to removing a wisdom tooth?

Simple painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen can help control mild pain caused by wisdom teeth

Antibiotics and rinsing with warm, salty water or chlorhexidine mouthwash can help if the area around the wisdom tooth is infected.

Surgical alternatives are:

• Operculectomy. This involves removing the gum lying over your tooth.
• Coronectomy. This involves removing just the crown of your tooth.

What will happen if I decide not to have the procedure or it is delayed?

Your symptoms may get worse or come back. You may be at risk of getting a serious, life-threatening infection.

If you need to have your wisdom tooth removed before you can have corrective surgery or other orthodontic treatment, that surgery or treatment may not be possible.

If your pain gets worse, contact your dentist.

What does the procedure involve?

Most upper wisdom teeth can be removed easily under a local anaesthetic. Lower wisdom teeth can be more difficult to remove. If the procedure is likely to be difficult, your surgeon may offer you a sedative.

The procedure may involve a cut in the gum close to the tooth. In some cases, your dentist or surgeon will take some bone around the tooth away with a drill. The tooth may be cut into smaller pieces.

What complications can happen?

The healthcare team are trained to reduce the risk of complications.

Any numbers which relate to risk rates given are taken from studies of people who have had this procedure. Your doctor may be able to tell you if the risk of a complication is higher or lower for you or if there are different risks specific to your case.

Some complications can be serious.

General complications of any procedure

• bleeding after the procedure
• swelling
• allergic reaction to the equipment, materials or medication
• chest infection
• infection

Specific complications of this procedure

• Bruising.
• Dry socket, where the socket does not heal well.
• Not being able to open your mouth fully (trismus) and jaw stiffness.
• Retained roots, where it is not possible to remove the whole tooth or your dentist decides it is safer to leave a root fragment in place.
• Damage to nearby teeth.
• Damage to nerves that connect to your lip and tongue, if you have a lower wisdom tooth removed. This can lead to loss of feeling in your lip, chin or tongue and a change or loss of taste. Any damage is usually temporary. However, it can take up to 18 months to fully recover.
• Sinus problems.
• Breaking the bone (tuberosity) behind the wisdom tooth.
• Broken jaw.
• Osteonecrosis, a rare condition where tissue in your jawbone starts to die preventing your tooth socket from healing properly. Let your dentist know if you are taking or have ever taken cancer medication, or bone medication such as bisphosphonates, as these increase the risk of osteonecrosis.

Consequences of this procedure

• pain

What happens after the procedure?

You should be able to go home the same day.

Try to leave your wound alone for 1 to 2 days.

You may need to take up to a week off work. You should be able to return to normal activities within a week.

Most people make a full recovery.

Summary

Wisdom teeth can sometimes cause serious problems.

Removing a wisdom tooth is usually a safe and effective way to prevent your symptoms from coming back.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The operation and treatment information on this page is published under license by Healthdirect Australia from EIDO Healthcare Australia and is protected by copyright laws. Other than for your personal, non-commercial use, you may not copy, print out, download or otherwise reproduce any of the information. The information should not replace advice that your relevant health professional would give you. Medical Illustration Copyright © Medical-Artist.com.

For more on how this information was prepared, click here.