What exactly goes into removing impacted wisdom teeth?

Question

Hi there. I'm having my wisdom teeth removed next week. I am not concerned about having pain, because I have a high tolerance for pain. Instead, I really don't like idea of being put under an anesthetic, particularly for such a minor procedure as this is. (If it was something HUGE like open heart surgery, that's a whole different story!) Anywho, my dentist said he would never remove a patient's wisdom teeth while they're awake. If any of you know, please tell me exactly what goes into removing impacted wisdom teeth. I'm just trying to figure out why my dentist is so rigid about this issue.

Answer 1

i had 2 impacted wisdom teeth removed a couple of years ago and what it involves in stretching ur mouth open really wide sometimes to the point that the doc has to dislocate ur jaw, then they cut away the tissue and yank on the teeth to get them out sometimes they pull and yank so hard that the teeth break... knocking u out is a benefit in this one... u may have a high tolerance to pain but i'm thinking u don't want to have to deal with all that pain... after surgery isn't bad at all i actually went to a birthday party the day after, but honestly listen to the doc and have him knock u out

best of luck

Answer 2

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RE:
What exactly goes into removing impacted wisdom teeth?
Hi there. I'm having my wisdom teeth removed next week. I am not concerned about having pain, because I have a high tolerance for pain. Instead, I really don't like idea of being put under an anesthetic, particularly for such a minor procedure as this is. (If it was something HUGE like open...

Answer 3

Ok I had two done. I don't know if you have had teeth pulled with just noavacaine, not fun. An impacted wisdom tooth has to be cut out for the gum line. Don't be a hero, GET THE DRUGS to knock your *** out! And you think you have a high tolerence for pain--ha--wait until afterwards---you will want the drugs, believe me. I would rather go thru 12 hours of labor than endure the 3-4 days of pain once that little novacaine pack they are going to put in the socket where the tooth was wears off. Good luck.

Answer 4

get a local anestic, i got all my wisdom teeth pulled, YES injections suck but you dont need to be put out. very unnecessary.

[edit] Impactions
The upper left (picture right) and upper right (picture left) wisdom tooth are distoangularly impacted. The lower left wisdom tooth is horizontally impacted. The lower right wisdom tooth is vertically impacted (unidentifiable in X-ray image).Impacted wisdom teeth fall into one of several categories. Mesioangular impaction is the most common form, and means the tooth is angled forward, towards the front of the mouth. Vertical impaction occurs when the formed tooth does not erupt fully through the gumline. Horizontal impaction occurs when the tooth is angled fully ninety degrees forward, growing into the roots of the second molar. Finally, distoangular impaction is the least common form, and means the tooth is angled backward, towards the rear of the mouth. Typically distoangular and vertical impactions are the most difficult types of wisdom teeth to extract.

Impacted wisdom teeth may also be categorized on whether they are still completely encased in the jawbone. If it is completely encased in the jawbone, it is a bony impaction. If the wisdom tooth has erupted out of the jawbone but not through the gumline, it is called a soft tissue impaction.

Sometimes the wisdom tooth has failed to erupt completely through the gum bed and the gum at the back of the wisdom tooth extends over the biting surface, forming a soft tissue flap or lid around the tooth called an operculum. Teeth covered by an operculum can be difficult to clean with a toothbrush. Additional cleaning techniques can include using a needle-less plastic syringe to vigorously wash the tooth with moderately pressured water or to softly wash it with hydrogen peroxide.

However, debris and bacteria can easily accumulate under an operculum, which may cause pericoronitis, a common infection problem in young adults with partial impactions that is often exacerbated by occlusion with opposing 3rd or 2nd molars. Common symptoms include a swelling and redness of the gum around the eruption site, difficulty in opening the mouth, a bad odor or taste in the mouth, and pain in the general area which may also run down the entire lower jaw or possibly the neck. Untreated pericoronitis can progress to a much more severe infection.

If the operculum does not disappear, recommended treatment is extraction of the wisdom tooth. An alternative treatment involving removal of the operculum, called operculectomy has been advocated. There is a high risk of permanent or temporary numbness of the tongue due to damage of the nerve with this treatment and is no longer recommended as a standard treatment in oral surgery.


[edit] Extraction
An extracted wisdom tooth that was horizontally impacted.Main article: Extraction (dental)
Wisdom teeth are extracted for two general reasons: either the wisdom teeth have already become impacted, or the wisdom teeth could potentially become problematic if not extracted. Potential problems caused by the presence of properly grown-in wisdom teeth include infections caused by food particles easily trapped in the jaw area behind the wisdom teeth where regular brushing and flossing is difficult and not effective. Such infections may be frequent, and cause considerable pain and medical danger. The extraction of wisdom teeth can be a difficult surgical procedure, and should only be performed by dental professionals with proper training and experience performing such extractions.

Answer 5

Well, they have to cut the gum tissue away and then use a little metal rod with a hook that snaps the tooth off the nerve ending. Since there are blood veins and nerves and stuff close by, it's a somewhat delicate procedure, so it's best if the patient isn't moving at all. Plus, it helps if the patient doesn't need to re-wet his mouth or swallow every minute while the doctor's trying to work. And for those with very active gag reflexes (like myself), having tools and gauze back there in the mouth can trigger the reflexes. So it's just easiest if the patient is under. Not all doctors prefer this; maybe yours just doesn't like to work on someone while they're looking at him. :)

Answer 6

I would say it depends on the type of anesthetic.....go for the I.V. sedation, it is a mild sedation done in the office that basiclly really relaxes you so you have no sense of time, you can open your mouth and move your head if asked but you will not remember it. Some dentists really like to have their patients out this way so that the big muscle in your cheek is not tense and fighting him/her while it is help out of the way so they can see. Even if you are relaxed and comfortabe in the chair you may tense up with some of the sounds. Think of it as the dentist getting you really drunk and you not remembering it :) You will be just minus some teeth!!

Answer 7

I tried to have my wisdom teeth removed without anesthesia. Unfortunately, they were impacted and one broke as the dentist was trying to yank it out. The pain was so great that I jerked and he cut into my gumline trying to get it out.

He then sent me to an oral surgeon who put me to sleep and took them out. It was far less traumatic and far less painful.

Removing an impacted tooth is like breaking a off a piece of bone and then trying to remove that piece of bone from beneath the skin. Listen to your dentist and take the anesthesia.

Answer 8

impacted teeth are pushing into the bone and/or more teeth, if they are unerupted they will have to make insecissons to access the tooth and take it out, if that's the case you will have stitches but at least they will heal much faster. there is no pain and no discomfort ask for the laughing gas and things will go by in a snap. don't be nervous this is not the first time your doctor or oral surgeon as ever done this i promise? ;-)

Answer 9

I had an impacted wisdom tooth removed with local anesthesia. The oral surgeon was afraid to put me under because of medication I was taking.

Answer 10

trust when your dentist prefers to put you out. I had 2 impacted and i was put out and i have never heard of someone with impacted teeth not being put out. Appartenly it is not as minor as a procedure as it sounds.