Generally speaking, wisdom tooth extraction is a surgical procedure. This is because the wisdom teeth are often not fully through the gum line or are impacted. A regular tooth can be “pulled” or extracted without requiring surgery. A surgical extraction is required when the wisdom teeth are underneath the gumline but still causing problems for your alignment or jawline.

Aftercare will affect your healing time, so follow the dentist’s instructions. Here are a few tips:

• Take pain relievers
• Use ice packs to reduce swelling
• Use saline water to rinse off the gum
• Don’t use a straw to avoid breaking the blood clot
• Elevate the head to stop bleeding
• Eat foods that require less chewing
• Brush and floss your teeth as you usually do, but avoid the site
• Limit activity for 24 to 48 hours

Absolutely! Since dental extraction is a surgical procedure, we recommend removing the tooth under sedation. Sedation helps make the process less painful, decreases your anxiety, and increases the treatment’s success.