Breaks best for wisdom teeth removal

LAUREN OYLER/Hurricane

By Alexandria Finney
Poca High School

Normally, when teens think of spending time away from school during a break, their thoughts involve relaxing, sleeping, hanging out with friends or going out of town. The last thought for most is spending the week recuperating from a trip to the oral surgeon for removal of wisdom teeth. However, long breaks can be opportune times for such procedures.

“People usually begin to have problems with their wisdom teeth around their late teen years and early 20s. Some symptoms that indicate the need for wisdom teeth removal are pain, swelling and uncomfortable pressure sensations,” said Dr. Lee Allen, an Oral Surgeon for Mountain State Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Wisdom teeth can cause problems for teens who are currently in the midst of or have completed the orthodontic process (i.e. those who have or have had braces). “Wisdom teeth can cause an individual’s bite to shift and teeth to shift as well,” explained orthodontist Donna Panucci.

Panucci recommends seeking a dental evaluation by your general dentist, orthodontist or oral surgeon at the first sign of any problems in order to take quick action to prevent as much orthodontic damage as possible.

Another thing to consider is where to have the procedure done. Generally, extractions are handled by oral surgeons instead of general dentists, explained Dr. Kerry Kendrick.

“Once extraction of the wisdom teeth is deemed to be the necessary treatment, I refer my patients to an oral surgeon for the procedure due to [the teeth’s] location in the mouth and any difficulty that may be experienced in removing the teeth,” Kendrick, a general dentist in Hurricane, said.

“Normally, 20 percent of all people have enough room in their mouth for their wisdom teeth to erupt,” Dr. Allen said. “People who have crowding, especially those who have had orthodontics, almost always have to have their wisdom teeth extracted.”

He recommends that all four wisdom teeth be removed at the same time in order not to have to come back for multiple visits and be placed under sedation multiple times.

The normal recuperation period after surgery is three days to one week. Any swelling associated with the extraction usually lasts about three days. Dr. Allen said that the busiest times of the year for his practice in regards to wisdom teeth extractions are spring, summer and Christmas breaks because they allow the most time to recuperate from the procedure without missing school.

Michael Ludewig, a senior at Toronto High School, in Toronto, Ohio, had all four of his wisdom teeth removed over Thanksgiving break. “Other than not being able to eat as much as I normally would have on Thanksgiving Day, the whole experience wasn’t too bad. I had them out on Monday and was ready to return to school the following week, and no one could even tell that I had had them removed.”

As the “extraction season” fast approaches, if you are experiencing any symptoms that you think might be indicators that you need your wisdom teeth extracted, a proactive response can save you time and spare you headaches (literally). Make an appointment to see your dental professional to seek his or her opinion on whether now is the time to proceed with having your wisdom teeth removed.