Should I have my Wisdom Teeth removed now? If you’re a teenager or 20-something, summer months might be the best time for traveling, relaxing or getting a head start for the next school semester. But, it’s also the best time to get your wisdom teeth removed!
Dentists’ and Oral Surgeons’ phones ring all too often with a frantic parent saying, “My son/daughter is away at college and he/she has terrible pain and swelling in the back of their mouth.
What should we do?” Well, we’d love to tell them to rush right over, but that’s hard to do when they’re hundreds or even thousands of miles away.
Not only can seeing your dentist during the summer months be a proactive measure that can save you time and pain in the future, it’s also a great way to get a big picture about your oral care so you can continue to work on your healthy and straight smile.
Consultations Are Key For Healthy Wisdom Teeth
More often than not, your oral surgeon will recommend removing your wisdom teeth. The main reasons include avoiding crowding, abscesses or pain, that if you’re not experiencing now, you might experience soon.
If you’ve had braces or Invisalign prior to your wisdom teeth coming in, this could ruin your straight teeth by pushing your bottom and top rows of teeth forward, causing overcrowding, crooked teeth and bite problems (and additional future work to re-straighten). Overcrowding can ruin a healthy smile. Teeth that are too close together can become breeding grounds for plaque and bacteria.
Possible complications from impacted wisdom teeth may include: acute or chronic discomfort; abscess of the tooth or gums; infection; bite issues which cause improper contact between the upper and lower teeth; and excessive buildup of plaque trapped in the crowded spaces between the teeth and gums, leading to decay and/ or gum disease.
However, there are some cases where wisdom teeth don’t have to be removed, which is where your dental provider comes in.
If you’re lucky enough where your wisdom teeth look like they’ll grow in safely and properly, without causing any problems, your dentist might suggest keeping the teeth.
But, for the majority of us, these four teeth will be best served out of our mouth.
In fact, the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation have found that even those wisdom teeth which have grown into the mouth in a normal, upright position may be as prone to disease as those that are impacted!
Moreover, the older we get, the more prone they are to disease, and the more difficult they are to remove.
The good news is that it only takes a quick consultation with your dental team to determine the best course of action for your smile.
Summertime and Easy Recovery For Wisdom Teeth Removals
As mentioned before, the summer months prove to be the best time to have your wisdom teeth removed. Sure, you could wait until Thanksgiving (say bye to turkey and all the fixin’s) or holiday break (your ski trip will have to wait), but the lazy days of summer afford you more time to recuperate in the comfort of your family home or with someone who has the time to help you.
While recovery time does vary from person to person, you can expect to need a few days or a week for the swelling to subside and for you start to feel better. This is again why the summertime is the best time for this dental procedure. You won’t have to try and squeeze in surgery on a long weekend, or have to take time off of school or miss special events should you decide you need a few more couch-and-TV days.
Want To Be Pain Free and Worry Free During Oral Surgery?
Our oral surgery department is fully equipped to provide the most comfortable and pain-free wisdom teeth extraction appointments for all of our patients. We have a few options for sedation, and can accommodate all your needs, whether than be to be lightly sedated or completely asleep during the procedure. The best part is that with sedation, as soon as you wake up, everything will be complete and you won’t have felt a thing!
Additionally, most of our patients feel minimal post-surgery pain, but we will also recommend a light pain reliever medication to help you recuperate. As always, our team is here to help with any questions or concerns you might have pre- and post-surgery.
More mature wisdom teeth could grow near the nerve in the jaw and be difficult to remove, not to mention more painful. They can also cause headaches or migraines, in addition to jaw or facial pain, and make it harder for you to chew.
So, take the time today to schedule a consultation to have your wisdom teeth assessed. Our oral surgery team is happy to help determine the best course of action to achieve your smile goals, all with minimal disruption to your life and summer plans!
Schedule Your Summer Wisdom Teeth Removal Today
Scheduling your wisdom teeth removal during these months is not just a matter of convenience; it’s a proactive step towards ensuring a pain-free and healthy future for your smile.
Don’t let the apprehension of oral surgery dampen your summer spirits. Contact us today to schedule your consultation and take the first step towards a worry-free oral health journey this summer.
Let this be the summer you look back on as the time you took a significant step towards a lifetime of smiles.
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