Our Services / Wisdom Teeth

What are wisdom teeth?

Your wisdom teeth are the four farthest back molars in your mouth — you have one on each side of your upper arch and one on each side of your lower arch. 

Unlike your other teeth and molars, they usually emerge during late adolescence after all of your other adult teeth are present. 

However, because of overcrowding, they often become impacted. Impacted teeth are teeth that either can’t emerge fully above the gumline or at all. 

If your wisdom teeth are impacted, they might grow at an angle and place pressure on other nearby teeth. They can damage other teeth, form cysts, or contribute to gum disease and tooth decay. 

To avoid complications like these, Dr. Fieldsmith might recommend booking wisdom teeth removal. Even if your wisdom teeth aren’t impacted, he might still recommend removal as a precautionary measure against future problems. 

How does wisdom teeth removal work?

In most cases, Dr. Fieldsmith performs wisdom teeth removal using local anesthesia to keep the area numb. 

If you’re particularly nervous or afraid about the procedure, he might offer you IV sedation to help you stay calm and relax. For highly complex wisdom teeth removal, he might offer general anesthesia instead.

During the procedure, Dr. Fieldsmith makes an incision in your gums for access to the tooth. He removes the connective tissue connecting the tooth to your jawbone before gently pulling the tooth from its place. 

In some cases, he may need to cut the tooth into sections and remove them one at a time or even remove some of the bone around the tooth. 

Once the wisdom tooth is out, Dr. Fieldsmith cleans and sanitizes the area before closing the incision in your gums with stitches. He places gauze over the site to control bleeding and repeats the process for each of your wisdom teeth.

What should I expect during the recovery period after wisdom teeth removal?

Wisdom teeth removal doesn’t take very long in the office, but recovery can take up to a week. During this time, you’ll need to follow Dr. Fieldsmith's aftercare instructions closely for safe healing. He may tell you to:

• Avoid smoking and tobacco use
• Avoid alcohol
• Eat only soft foods
• Drink lots of water
• Limit your activity
• Replace the gauze
• Use an ice pack to control swelling
• Take medications for the pain and swelling

Dr. Fieldsmith may use dissolvable stitches, so you won’t need a follow-up appointment to remove them. If you need to book a second appointment to remove stitches that don’t dissolve, he tells you before your appointment. 

If you or your child’s wisdom teeth are causing problems as they develop, call Wayne T. Fieldsmith, DDS, or book an appointment online today.