Wisdom tooth extraction takes some time to recover from, especially if you have all 4 wisdom teeth pulled, and all four are impacted. After wisdom teeth removal, patients are on a soft and liquid diet while the extraction sites heal. You have to build your way up to foods that you actually chew, and will need to avoid hard and crunchy foods for awhile.
Most of the patients we see for wisdom tooth extraction at our Mobile AL dental office are of high school to college age, although we do see adult patients for wisdom teeth removal. Winter break is a great time to schedule this procedure, because your child will be home where you can pamper them. Depending on when their winter break starts, you can schedule their appointment in the weeks before Christmas, or after New Year’s.
If you’ve been having your teen get regular dental x-rays, you have a good idea of when the wisdom teeth are ready to erupt, and what sorts of problems they might cause if they are allowed to come in. Wisdom teeth are also known as your third molars. They are called wisdom teeth because they come in during the late teen years to early adulthood.
When your wisdom teeth are coming in, you may feel sore gums, jaw pain, or an earache. The pain is generally bad enough that you will need to take ibuprofen and consider a cold compress.
If you’re one of the lucky ones, dental x-rays will show you have enough room in your mouth for the wisdom teeth to come in normally. If that’s the case, you may not need to have the wisdom teeth pulled.
Although it varies from patient to patient, wisdom tooth extraction can take up to two hours, and the recovery period is at least several days, up to two weeks. You will not be able to eat anything for six hours after surgery. You may want someone to drive you home from the appointment.
Wisdom tooth extraction costs differ, based on if you are having one or all four wisdom teeth removed, and if any are impacted. Impacted means the teeth don’t have enough room to come in normally. They may be physically underneath your second molars, or may be starting to grow in at an angle. Removal of impacted wisdom teeth is more complicated than removal of non-impacted teeth. Your dentist will be able to show you x-rays that demonstrate the issue.
Eastburn Dental will work with you and your dental insurance company so you know what costs you can expect to pay. Be advised, wisdom teeth removal BEFORE the teeth come in is highly advisable, before a patient reaches the age of 21 years. The roots of the wisdom teeth have not developed as much, and are easier to remove. Infected, impacted wisdom teeth can be more difficult to extract.
Call Eastburn Dental today at 251-244-2126 to schedule a dentist appointment. If you’re a current patient, we can review your most recent x-rays and tell you when it would be a good time to schedule wisdom tooth extraction. If you’re a new patient, we will need to get x-rays before advising a course of treatment.
251-344-2126 | 5368 Zeigler Blvd., Mobile, AL 36608 |