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If there's plenty of room for wisdom teeth to grow and they are erupting normally, they probably don't need removing. But if you're concerned, it's best to see a dentist at Mount Lawley Dental for advice on whether they need removing.
If you experience wisdom tooth pain, our team of experienced dentists at Mount Lawley Dental can help. We can examine your teeth and take diagnostic radiographs to determine whether your wisdom teeth are growing normally or whether they’d be better out. We’ll provide you with a treatment plan cost, including advice about sedation and payment plan options.
Book a wisdom tooth consultation at Mount Lawley Dental today, call (08) 9227 8777 or book an appointment online.
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Sometimes known as third molars, wisdom teeth develop at the back of your gums and are the last teeth to come through. They typically grow through the gum line at around the age of 18 to 25, when we supposedly become wiser.
Most people have four wisdom teeth, one in each corner of their mouth, but it’s also common to have one or two or none at all. A lot of the time, a wisdom tooth will emerge normally without any pain and won’t need to be removed.
Wisdom tooth can become impacted when there’s not enough room to grow. They put pressure on surrounding teeth causing significant pain. In some cases, they only partially erupt leaving pockets for bacteria to accumulate and causing an infection. At other times, if a wisdom tooth grows too long, it can damage the inside of the mouth.
Your dentist can determine which direction teeth are growing and whether teeth need removing. Sometimes, they only need to make a small cut in the gums to help the tooth come through.
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Wisdom tooth removal is a straightforward procedure and in most cases and can be performed in the chair under local anaesthesia. However, sometimes they may need to be surgically removed. Surgery involves:
For wisdom tooth removal under IV sedation or general anaesthesia, we refer patients to our sister practice, EVP Dental in East Victoria Park. With the help of our qualified Anaesthetist, Dr Christine Troy, sedation is administered in the chair or at SouthBank Day Surgery in South Perth.
If you think you might need your wisdom teeth removed, speak our friendly team today. We can explain wisdom tooth removal options and what the procedure involves.
Call us on (08) 9227 8777 to arrange a consultation or book online.
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We’d like to welcome you to Mount Lawley Dental with our no-gap* new patient offer (valued at $516).
View OfferDry socket is a condition that can occur soon after having wisdom teeth removed. It happens when a blood clot fails to form or gets dislodged during the healing process, exposing the bone and nerve endings where the tooth was. This allows food debris and bacteria to get in to the bone, causing an infection and throbbing pain that can travels up the ear, eye, temple and neck.
While some pain is to be expected after wisdom tooth removal, it shouldn’t be severe and unbearable. Speak to your dentist immediately if you are is severe pain and think you may have dry socket. While the likelihood of getting dry socket is rare, your risk increases if you smoke tobacco, drink alcohol or take specific contraceptives during the recovery stage.
In the 24 hours following surgery, you should only eat soft foods and avoid hot food and drinks entirely. Soft foods include:
It’s important to also avoid drinking from a straw for the first two weeks as the suction can dislodge the blood clot and cause more bleeding.
It can take up to two weeks for your mouth to completely heal after wisdom teeth removal surgery.
After surgery, it’s common to have a bruised and swollen mouth, you’ll be prescribed medication by your dentist to manage the pain. In the 24 hours after surgery, a protective blood clot will form over the bone where the tooth was removed and the healing process begins.
Two to three days after surgery, swelling reduces and then stiches can come out about a week after surgery. Between 7 and 10 days, jaw pain tends to subside and the jaw becomes less stiff. At around two weeks, bruising should heal.
It’s important to note that if pain or bleeding is excessive, you should call your dentist immediately.
Aside from impaction, wisdom teeth can cause crowding of the teeth which can cause pain or discomfort. When a wisdom tooth is only partially erupted, it can sometimes be difficult to keep clean and end up accumulating bacteria and becoming inflamed and infected.
Wisdom teeth can also be problematic if you require orthodontics or are preparing for jaw surgery. It’s common to have them removed beforehand.
After an initial consultation, your dentist will take radiographs to check the wisdom tooth and its roots under the gums. If the tooth is not impacted and appears to be growing normally, it might not need to be removed at all. Instead, your dentist may make a small cut in the gums to help the tooth come through.
Wisdom teeth are the last (third) molars to erupt in the mouth, usually between the ages of 17 and 25. There are usually four wisdom teeth, but not everyone gets them. As these teeth are less necessary, dentists may recommend wisdom tooth removal if a tooth becomes impacted or causes problems such as teeth crowding.
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