Despite the name, most teenagers and adults find that their wisdom teeth need to be removed to avoid further oral trouble. Since wisdom teeth removal is a significant procedure that requires dedicated recovery time, it’s important to know when and how to expect it.

What Are Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth are actually a set of molars located in the back of the mouth. As the third and final set of molars to grow in, they usually don’t appear until your late teens or early twenties. It’s possible for wisdom teeth to take their place in the mouth without causing trouble, but the majority of people need them removed because they become misaligned or impacted. Poorly aligned wisdom teeth risk crowding and damaging nearby teeth, while impacted wisdom teeth increase the chances of infection and decay.

Signs It’s Time For Wisdom Teeth Removal

If you receive regular dental checkups every six months, your dentist will use periodic X-rays to check the status of your wisdom teeth. Most dentists suggest wisdom teeth removal before a problem even forms in order to eliminate the potential of a more painful and complex procedure down the road. Preemptive removal is also a wise idea since wisdom teeth are easier to extract before their roots have fully developed.

However, it’s possible that you will also notice signs that your wisdom teeth are getting ready to cause trouble. You may start to experience pain in your jaw, irritation in the back of your mouth, crowding of your teeth, or frequent infection.

The Extraction Procedure and Recovery

When you turn to a skilled oral and maxillofacial surgical team like Broward Oral Surgery Associates in South Florida, you will undergo a safe and efficient wisdom teeth removal procedure. First, your teeth and gums will be numbed with a local anesthetic, and then you will be sedated with laughing gas or another form of medication. You’ll be asleep for the surgery, so the only thing you need to worry about is the recovery period. Dr. Seider and Dr. Stevens at Broward Oral Surgery will walk you through the recovery process and help you remain as comfortable as possible. Within just a few days, you will feel back to normal and ready to enjoy a mouth free from painful wisdom teeth.