You may choose to have your wisdom teeth removed if they are causing you pain. However, you may want to have them removed even if there is no pain yet. If you pay for dental services regularly, your dentist should be taking X-rays of your mouth and be able to give you advice on what to expect when you are having your wisdom teeth removed.

Why Have Removal

At this point in human history, people's mouths are not big enough for wisdom teeth to come through and have room to grow. The wisdom teeth are located under your gums at the back of your jaw on either side and on both top and bottom. The teeth are not always positioned correctly due to lack of space, and they may start to grow into your other teeth. This can be dangerous for your whole tooth structure and painful for you.

Preparation

Normally, you will be asked to fast up to twenty-four hours prior so that your anesthesia can work well. You will also be prescribed a strong pain killer that you will first take the day before your operation. Before you take the anesthesia, you will have a chance to talk with the dentist about any questions, special instructions, or risks that may be involved for you. Prepare ahead of time if you have specific questions that you want to ask. Once you are ready, your jaw will be numbed and you will be given anesthesia.

Surgery

The surgery will usually consist of the dentist cutting through your gum and dividing the wisdom teeth into smaller pieces. He or she will then remove the pieces and sew your gum back together in each spot. Many times, the surgery will not take very long unless your wisdom teeth are in an especially difficult location.

Recovery

You will be put on a strict regimen of painkillers even before the anesthesia wears off, and you will need to eat during this time. You may only be able to eat soft foods such as applesauce, mashed potatoes, and jello, but eating something will keep your stomach from becoming upset. Directly after the surgery, you may feel as though the pain was not so bad and others were exaggerating. However, the numbness and anesthesia will wear off after a few hours, and then you will feel extreme pain. That is why it is important to stay on the painkillers. Be careful when brushing your teeth afterward to stay away from the wounds. Don't touch them and make sure to give them time to heal. For more information, contact local professionals like Dental Smile Clinic​​.