The Surgery

As a rule of thumb, wisdom teeth should be extracted when the oral surgeon first concludes that the teeth are impacted and pose a risk to the patient. In certain cases, surgery may require an incision into the gums, partial bone removal, and/or sectioning of the tooth before removal. The procedure is almost always performed in the dentist's office, on an outpatient basis. The surgery is usually performed in less than an hour, depending on the depth of the impacted teeth and their angle of growth. The surgeon will recommend using a local anesthesia, a mild sedative, or a general anesthesia.

After Surgery

Following the surgery, one can expect to experience minor pain, bleeding of the gums, and swelling of the mouth. The surgeon will prescribe medication to alleviate much of this discomfort. Unfortunately, it is impossible to know how much swelling will occur because the amount of swelling does not always correspond to the severity of the impacted teeth. However, swelling typically begins the day of the surgery and peaks within two to three days, gradually subsiding in five to seven days. Applying ice packs to the jaw helps reduce any swelling you may experience. Your surgeon may prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection and to aid the healing process. Most patients are fully recovered and back to work in one to two weeks.