Northern Virginia Plastic and Oral Surgery

What is an impacted wisdom tooth?

Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to develop and grow out of our jawbones. Due to lack of space for a total set of dentition in our jaws they are unable to grow into their normal position in the majority of our population. During their eruption, depending on the space they are given by your jaw size, they will either pierce through the gums partially and thereby causing gum pockets, damage adjacent teeth or not erupt at all. When they stay in the jaw bones they can develop cysts or tumors that can be either benign as well as in rare cases even malignant.

Wisdom teeth are the most commonly impacted teeth in our jaws. Since these teeth are unnecessary to your jaw’s functionality and can cause diseases, Dr. Hamrah recommends having them extracted early (ages 13 to 18) to prevent later discomfort, diseases and moreover increased surgical complications (ie. jaw fracture, nerve damage, damage to adjacent teeth).

Is it painful to have a wisdom tooth extracted?

The level of discomfort endured depends on your age and how easily Dr. Hamrah can access the wisdom tooth. The longer you delay wisdom tooth extraction, the greater the wisdom tooth bonds with the jawbone, which increases extraction difficulty and recovery time. Further, the older you are the slower your wounds heal and the longer the recovery process.

How do I minimize pain and ease my recovery?

The best way to ensure a smooth recovery is to not delay having an impacted wisdom tooth extracted.

Following extraction, you can make the recovery process easier by:

• Eating non-solid foods
• Taking painkillers as prescribed
• Keeping your upper body elevated to minimize bleeding
• Staying aware of your mouth’s numbness and avoiding biting or chewing your tongue or lip
• Placing an ice pack on your cheek the first postoperative day
• Rinsing with salt water starting the following day of surgery
• Avoiding physical activity for the first week after surgery

If you have an impacted wisdom tooth requiring extraction and live in the northern Virginia or Washington, D.C. area, please contact our oral surgery office today to schedule your personal consultation with Dr. Hamrah.