Wisdom Teeth Extraction – What are the Risks Involved?

Your wisdom teeth are the last set of molars that you get in your teens or early twenties. Although they can become valuable assets to your mouth, they can also be misaligned and in need of removal. They can become misaligned; thus, presenting potential problems such as crowding, damage to adjacent teeth, damage to the jawbone, and damage to the nerves. They can also entrap debris and plaque; hence, being vulnerable to decay.

Disadvantages of Wisdom Teeth Extraction

 

Wisdom teeth extraction can be quite complicated. It can cause bleeding, numbness in the lower lip, persistent sinus opening, and pain. The older you get, the more dangerous and difficult the procedure becomes. Once you reach fifty years of age, bone has already fused to your teeth; so, the removal process becomes riskier and more complex. There are a variety of risks involved with this procedure.

You might experience numbness in the area of the extracted tooth; or worse, you might experience numbness for a prolonged period of time. This can be due to nerve damage that has resulted from the pulling of the teeth. Infection may occur, as well. Your mouth contains numerous bacteria; there could be more if you do not practice good oral hygiene. Some of the symptoms of infection are swelling gums, face, or tongue, tenderness, pus around teeth, and bleeding gums.

Infection is very common after wisdom teeth extraction. Even those who have good oral hygiene are prone to it since sterilizing the mouth completely when preparing for surgery is not possible. If you want to prevent infection, you should take antibiotics that are prescribed by your dentist.

Broken or fractured jaw is another problem associated with wisdom teeth extraction. Dentists usually warn patients about this because even though a minimum amount of pressure or force is used on the area, fracture may still occur. This is especially true in cases of fragile jawbones. Conversely, heavy bleeding may also occur.

Your head and neck contain blood vessels that can cause problems during the procedure. The bleeding cannot be stopped by applying heavy pressure onto the area. In addition, the enzymes in your saliva can interfere with blood clotting. If you have hepatitis or high blood pressure, the bleeding can be worse.

Other Possible Wisdom Teeth Extraction Effects

Furthermore, dry socket and paresthesia may occur as results of wisdom teeth extraction. Dry socket is a condition wherein blood clot dissolves or becomes dislodged; hence, leaving an empty socket that exposes the bone. Because of this, the bone becomes prone to inflammation and infection. This can become very painful for the patient. Generally, dry socket lasts for three to four days following the extraction. Aside from being very painful, it can also be accompanied by a foul mouth odor.

Paresthesia, on the other hand, refers to the numbness of the chin, lip, or tongue. It occurs when the wisdom teeth becomes entrapped in the jawbone. During the process of removing wisdom teeth, the nerves can be damaged or bruised. Hence, paresthesia lasts for several days, weeks, and months. In some cases, it can even become permanent.

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