Wisdom teeth removal surgery can be a type of dental surgery that many people will have to undergo at some point. However, misinformation about having wisdom teeth removed can cause individuals to be unprepared for this procedure, which can lead to them suffering more stress than is necessary.

What Happens If You Fail to Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?

Individuals may be concerned about the inconvenience of having their wisdom teeth removed, and this can lead to them delaying scheduling this procedure. Unfortunately, this can lead to major complications for the patient. For example, the wisdom teeth can lead to crowding and alignment issues with the rest of the teeth in your mouth. It may also contribute to a greater risk of decay as the crowding caused by the wisdom teeth can make it harder to effectively clean your teeth. Furthermore, patients are likely to experience worsening pain as the wisdom teeth continue to grow into place. Fortunately, this is a fairly gradual process, which can allow you flexibility when scheduling to have them removed.

How Long Will It Take to Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?

The actual procedure for removing the wisdom teeth is not as long as patients will often assume. In many instances, the wisdom teeth may be removed in as little as an hour. The amount of time will largely depend on whether the teeth will need to be surgically removed or pulled. Unfortunately, the recovery from this procedure can take several days to a week before the patient's mouth has fully recovered. Additionally, patients may be required to undergo follow-up visits with their dental surgeon to ensure that their mouth is free of infections or other complications that could develop.

Are There Any Steps That Can Help with Your Recovery?

During the first several days of your recovery, it is particularly important to be diligent about following your recovery instructions. This will include any dietary restrictions and cleaning instructions. Patients will often fail to be as diligent with using prescription mouthwashes and rinses due to them having fairly unpleasant tastes. However, if you are prescribed these solutions, they can greatly reduce the risk of your mouth developing painful infections that could lengthen your recovery time. Patients will often attempt to resume their normal diet before their mouth has sufficiently healed. Hard, crunchy or otherwise difficult to chew foods should be the last to be reintroduced to your diet as these foods can be the most likely to damage the surgery site as it heals.