Make Your Wisdom Teeth Extraction a Breeze at Belterra Dental

If you live in or in the surrounding areas of Austin, Texas, and start to feel pain or discomfort in the four corners of your mouth, you may need to get your wisdom teeth removed!

At times, wisdom teeth do not have room to grow in your mouth. This causes the tooth to become impacted and can cause pain in your mouth, infection, or other problems. If it is time to get your wisdom teeth extracted, it can be done at our office by our highly skilled dentists.

No need to worry about your wisdom teeth pain, we got you covered with everything you need to know!

Why do we extract wisdom teeth?

Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are permanent teeth that erupt into the mouth. These teeth usually appear between the ages of 16 & 25. Some people never develop wisdom teeth, and some will develop wisdom teeth that cause no issues for their dental health.

Typically the wisdom teeth do not have enough room to grow which will lead to wisdom teeth erupting in an impacted formation. At times, wisdom teeth will only erupt partially and not make it all the way out of the gum tissue. We refer to these wisdom teeth as partially bony.

An impacted wisdom tooth can:

• Grow at an angle toward the back of the mouth
• Grow at an angle toward the next tooth(second molar)
• Grow at a right angle to the other teeth, almost like the wisdom tooth is lying down within the jawbone
• Grow straight up or down like other teeth while staying trapped in the jawbone

Problems with impacted wisdom teeth

It is recommended you get your wisdom teeth pulled if problems begin to arise such as:

• Pain
• Trapping food and debris behind the wisdom teeth
• Tooth decay in a partially erupted wisdom tooth
• Infection or gum disease
• Damage to a nearby tooth or surrounding bone
• Development of a fluid-filled sac or cyst around the wisdom tooth
• Complications with orthodontic treatments to straighten the teeth

How to prepare for extraction

Our dentists will perform the procedure in our office. At Belterra Dental, we perform our wisdom teeth extractions using IV Sedation, or oral sedation medication depending on the level of difficulty. If you have a particularly difficult set of wisdom teeth, we may have Dr. Brazil perform the procedure using IV Sedation. For uncomplicated wisdom teeth removal, Dr. Anand can do so using local numbing agents or oral sedation.

IV Sedation and Oral Sedation are simple ways to make sure you have a comfortable experience. Many patients can suffer from stress and anxiety from even being inside a dental office, the amount of anxiety from a procedure such as wisdom teeth extraction can be inordinate. The IV sedation will allow you to kick back, relax, and rest easy knowing you are in very capable hands.

Good Questions to ask

• How long does it take to completely heal and return to normal activity after wisdom teeth extraction?
• What other dental treatments might I need at a later date?
• How many wisdom teeth will need to be removed?
• Have the impacted wisdom teeth caused damage to other teeth?
• Is there a risk I could face nerve damage?
• Are there any benefits of keeping wisdom teeth?
• What is the best wisdom teeth removal age?
• What if I don’t have impacted wisdom teeth? What’s my recovery time?

Good Answers(or read on!)

• It can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks to recover from wisdom teeth extractions.
• Our dentists will always schedule a comprehensive exam either prior to or shortly after wisdom teeth extractions.
• The number of wisdom teeth needing to be removed will depend on the number of teeth in your mouth.
• If there are impacted wisdom teeth, damage can be done to adjacent teeth and your bite function, our dentists will assess and provide any answers as necessary.
• We will assess whether there is potential for nerve damage when taking your panoramic X-ray.
• If your wisdom teeth are not negatively impacting your bite, or oral & hygiene health, it may be beneficial to not remove them. If the teeth are in a bad position or are difficult to keep clean, it is recommended to remove them.
• While our dentists can remove wisdom teeth at any age, it is recommended to have them removed between the ages of 18-24. This is due to the roots of the wisdom teeth not being fully formed, once you are 24, the roots fully form which can make extraction more difficult. With this change, wisdom teeth removal recovery time can be more arduous.
• For non-surgical wisdom tooth extraction recovery(fully erupted wisdom teeth that are not impacted), you can expect 10-14 days of recovery time.

Day of the surgery

Our wisdom teeth surgeries are always performed as outpatient procedures, meaning you always get to go home after the procedure. Some instructions you may receive prior to your surgery are:

• You will need a driver to take you home.
• Please arrive 15 minutes early for your dental appointment.
• No food for six hours prior to your appointment and only clear liquids up to two hours before your appointment.

During the procedure

Depending on the complexity of your wisdom teeth removal, our dentists may use three different types of anesthesia. We want to make sure you are comfortable, so you can always inquire about different sedation options.

• Local Anesthesia Our dentist will administer local anesthesia with one or more injections near the site of each wisdom tooth extraction. Before the injection, our dentist will apply a substance to your gums to numb them. You shouldn’t feel any pain during the procedure, but you will feel pressure and movement.

• IV Sedation: At Belterra Dental, most of our wisdom teeth procedures are done using IV Sedation. IV Sedation will help you rest easy and comfortably during your procedure and will allow Dr. Brazil to work speedily and efficiently.

• Nitrous: If local anesthesia doesn’t make you comfortable, we can always add nitrous, also known as laughing gas, to your procedure. Nitrous can make you feel comfortable and calm during your appointment.

How it’s done:

• Our dentists make an incision in the gum tissue to expose the tooth and bone
• Remove bone that blocks access to the tooth root
• Divides the tooth into sections if it’s easier to remove it in pieces
• Removes the tooth
• Cleans the site of the removed tooth of any debris from the tooth or bone
• Stitches the wound closed to promote healing
• Places gauze over the extraction site to control bleeding and to help a blood clot form

After the procedure

Once the procedure has been completed you will have a short recovery time in the chair where our team monitors you. After a brief recovery time, we escort you to your driver and send you on your way! Your driver will ensure you get any necessary prescriptions from the pharmacy of your choice and then get you to rest in a comfortable place.

After the surgery, you are given a list of instructions to follow in your recovery.

• Pain Management: Depending on the complexity of your case, you will be prescribed certain types of medication that will aid in your pain management. To keep swelling down, it is recommended to ice your jaw and take medication as directed.
• Swelling and bruising: Using an icepack can help with swelling in the cheeks over the recovery period.
• Bleeding: Some oozing of blood can occur during the first day after the procedure. Replace gauze over the extraction site as directed by your dentist.
• Activity: After the wisdom teeth extractions, we recommend resting for the remainder of the day. Avoid any strenuous work if possible.
• Beverages & Food: Drink water after the surgery, and avoid carbonated, alcoholic, or caffeinated drinks for the first 24 hours. Avoid using straws for at least a week as the sucking action can cause dry sockets. Eat only soft foods for the first 24 hours, and avoid anything hard, chewy, hot, or spicy foods that can irritate the wounds in your mouth.
• Dental Hygiene: Avoid brushing your teeth for the first 24 hours after your extraction. You can resume brushing your teeth after the first 24 hours, be sure to be gentle near the extraction site. You will be prescribed a bottle of Chlorhexidine. Chlorhexidine is a prescription mouthwash that will allow your mouth and gums to stay clean after wisdom teeth removal. Since you will not be brushing during this time, you will be using this mouthwash as prescribed to main optimal oral hygiene.
• Stitches: Your stitches may dissolve after the first week of recovery. We schedule a one-week post-op appointment to follow up with your recovery process.
• Eating: As you ease back into eating foods, it is recommended to maintain a soft food diet for the first 2 weeks. Avoiding nuts and hard or sharp foods is necessary for the first 6 weeks after wisdom teeth extraction. You will be sent home with an irrigation syringe so you can properly clean out your sockets after meals. Irrigating sockets after meals is imperative to a healthy recovery process.

Cost to Extract Wisdom Teeth

While we do our best to ensure a smooth and simple extraction process, we do want to make sure all finances are covered prior to your appointment. Your payment will be made in advance as a deposit to secure the appointment, with the other half being due the day of the appointment. For our patients with no insurance, we do offer a Wisdom Teeth Extraction special that varies on the number of teeth needing to be removed.

Curious about pricing? Call our office and we can easily talk over any finances with you prior to getting scheduled. We want to ensure you have an optimal experience from start to finish. The follow-up appointment to remove sutures from your mouth is completely covered in the cost of the wisdom teeth extraction price.

Once we get you back in our office located conveniently between Dripping Springs and Austin, Texas, we examine your extraction sites and send you on your way with a healthy and healed mouth. Maintaining your oral hygiene is important to recovery, set reminders to irrigate sockets as necessary!

If any issues did arise between the date of extraction and your postop, we can always see you sooner or troubleshoot. Wisdom teeth extraction is easy, simple, and fast at Belterra Dental. We are happy to be able to provide procedures like wisdom teeth extraction to our patients. Get scheduled for a consultation today!