Summer Tooth Extraction Time!

Do you have a teenager? If you do, you probably know how busy your teenager is. Between school, sports, and friends, they often have your calendar full of busyness and places that they need to be.

So, where do you squeeze in essential things like dental visits, wisdom teeth extractions, and doctor appointments for your teenager? Summer break can be an excellent time for this!

Tooth Extractions

Regarding teenagers and tooth extractions, the extraction is usually related to wisdom teeth extractions. Wisdom teeth develop at different rates depending on the person, but it’s generally during these teenage years that the roots start forming, and then the tooth doesn’t erupt for most people until the late teens or early twenties.

Why Remove Wisdom Teeth?

For most of us, our jaw stops developing before the age of 18 years old, yet our wisdom teeth want to erupt after this time. This usually leads to not having a big enough jaw for wisdom teeth, and as a result, these symptoms can occur:

• Crowded teeth
• Crooked teeth
• Tooth decay
• Swelling
• Infection
• Jaw pain

If your teenager doesn’t have room for wisdom teeth to come in, their dentist may recommend that they have them extracted. Having them removed could help them avoid the symptoms listed above.

What To Expect For A Wisdom Tooth Extraction?

There are different types of wisdom tooth extractions:

• Non-impacted wisdom teeth removal- This type of extraction refers to removing a tooth that has already erupted into your mouth. This is the simplest form of wisdom tooth extraction.
• Soft tissue impact removal- This is the removal of a wisdom tooth within soft tissue.
• Partial-bony impaction removal- This extraction is when the wisdom tooth is partially in bony tissue and needs to be cut out.
• Full impaction removal- This is a more challenging type of wisdom tooth extraction but also a common one for teenagers because many have wisdom teeth that are still within the jaw and have not yet erupted.

Extraction Recovery

The good news is that when it comes to your teenager’s mouth and healing, their mouth has a quick turnaround time for recovery. For most people, it’s taking it easy for a few days following surgery, and then they are back to school and work. In this time off, it is important to follow these guidelines and any others that their dentist outlines for them:

• Rest- They mustn’t overdo it following their surgery. Their body needs rest and time to heal.
• They should use an ice pack for the first 24-48 hours after surgery, which will help minimize swelling.
• They should bite on the cotton gauze as directed as keeping pressure on the surgery site helps the clot to form.
• Make sure they avoid using straws as this can dislodge the healing clot that formed.
• Consuming soft foods is vital to prevent injury at surgery sites.

When it comes to wisdom teeth recovery, the recovery period can vary some. While healing is uneventful for most people, complications are possible. If your teen feels extreme pain or throbbing following surgery, you should reach out to their dentist or surgeon’s office immediately. .

Should Every Teen Get Their Wisdom Teeth Extracted?

Not every teen needs their wisdom teeth extracted. Your teenagers’ dentist or orthodontist may recommend it based on their jaw size or other reasons they notice.

Wondering if your teenager should take advantage of summer break and get their wisdom teeth out? Give us a call, and we will schedule them with one of our dentists, who will evaluate their situation and let you know their recommendations.