At Dr. Jean-Pierre Tabah’s dental clinic, located in the Marché Central area in Montreal, we welcome patients in a friendly atmosphere to offer them quality dental care.
Wisdom teeth are a third group of molars that we inherited from our prehistoric ancestors. Today, they often lack the space to grow normally and can cause many problems to other teeth.
Problems that wisdom teeth can cause
Insufficient space in the patient’s mouth is often the main cause of problems caused by wisdom teeth. When there is a lack of space, the wisdom teeth will only be able to grow partially. In such cases, only part of the dental crown (the normally visible part of the tooth) erupts from the gum while the other part remains under the gum. The position of the tooth can then cause discomfort and pain to the patient. The visible part of the tooth allows bacteria to attack it, which can lead to tooth decay.
Because of their remote position in our mouth, it is more difficult to access our wisdom teeth to clean them properly. This makes them more susceptible to tooth decay. Also, as they grow in, wisdom teeth can put pressure on the neighboring molars, risking damage to them. For all these reasons, it is often wiser to proceed with their extraction.
The extraction
Most procedures are performed under local anesthesia, which means that the nerves of the teeth to be extracted and their gums are numbed to prevent the patient from feeling pain during the procedure.
Once the area to be treated is numbed, your dentist will proceed with the extraction. He or she may have to make an incision in your gum line if part of the tooth to be extracted is located there. Also, if the tooth is in a position that makes it difficult to extract, your dentist may have to break the tooth into several pieces in order to extract it.
After the extraction
Your dentist may prescribe an antibiotic to reduce the risk of post-operative infection if he deems it necessary, as well as painkillers to reduce the pain. A few precautions should be taken to promote optimal healing of the tissues surrounding the extraction sites, as well as to avoid complications, including :
- Taking prescribed medications as directed and not exceeding the recommended dosage;
- Immediately after the procedure, apply gauze pads to the operated areas to reduce bleeding;
- Eat soft foods for a few days following the operation, avoid very hot foods and avoid consuming alcohol or tobacco products;
- Avoid spitting or gargling for the first day after surgery to avoid interfering with the clotting of the wounds.
The Dr. Jean-Pierre Tabah Dental Clinic, compassionate and quality dental care at Marché Central.
the pain is unbearable?
when it comes to maintaining your overall health.
that specializes in gum disease.
is the most common health problem?
for replacing missing teeth.