Feeling this frequent dull ache in your jaws and headache for the past few weeks? Could it be that your wisdom tooth are growing out improperly AKA impacted?
Wisdom tooth typically grows out when you are between the ages of 18 – 26 years old. But the growth of these teeth itself is not the problem. When your wisdom tooth grows in a certain angle that that affects the surrounding teeth, that is where the crux of the problem lies. Your doctor may then suggest for you to either undergo wisdom teeth extraction or a wisdom tooth surgery.
What are the problems that could arise if I don’t remove my impacted wisdom teeth?
If the impacted wisdom tooth is giving you pain or affecting the neighbouring teeth, most likely it would have to be removed through extraction or surgery. Otherwise, it can resulted in various complications such as:
- Overcrowding
- Damage to nearby molars
- Bacterial infection
- Cysts
In addition, it can also lead to symptoms such as pain, headache, aching jaws, swollen gums, difficulty chewing food, etc.
Should I go for wisdom teeth extraction or surgery?
This will most likely depend on the complexity of your wisdom tooth. An in-depth examination of the wisdom tooth position and spacing through an X-ray by your dentist will tell if your wisdom teeth will need to be removed. Depending on the position, shape and size of your wisdom teeth, your dentist will determine whether your wisdom tooth will have to be removed through extraction or surgery.
In most cases, extraction is a more straightforward technique which is cheaper and requires less downtime. When simple extraction is not suffice, a wisdom tooth surgery will most likely be required. It is used for a more complex cases and requires longer recovery time. The dentist (or surgeon for a very complex case) will cut through the gum tissue and/or bone to reach the tooth to be removed.
Is the wisdom tooth surgery painful?
Occurring under sedation (either local or general anaesthesia), you should not feel pain during the surgery. There might be a little bit of sting when the dentist or surgeon injects anaesthesia to your gum. But during the surgery itself, you will most likely only be feeling pressure as your doctor removes your wisdom tooth. So don’t be too anxious during the surgery and just follow your dentist’s or surgeon’s instruction
How much does wisdom tooth surgery cost in Singapore?
That would depend on the complexity of your case and which clinic did you go too. Going for a wisdom tooth surgery at your GP dentist is usually cheaper, compared than going to a specialist dentist. For the detailed cost breakdown you can take a look at wisdom tooth extraction and surgery costs guide in Singapore.
What post-op care should I take note of?
You may have heard from your family and friends who have done the surgery before that wisdom tooth surgery recovery is pretty uncomfortable. Well, most of the time, they are correct. So take the time to rest at home!
Some bleeding is expected; you can bite down the surgical gauze that is given to you to stop the bleeding. You can relieve the pain and swelling by applying an ice pack or the painkiller that is prescribed to you.
As your wound is healing, it is important to keep the area clean, however, avoid rinsing too vigorously as it can dislodge the newly-formed blood clots.
Recovery after wisdom teeth surgery is generally quite straightforward. Closely follow your surgeon’s advice to ensure that your recovery journey will be a smooth one.
