Removing Unsalvageable Teeth

Patients suffering from broken, cracked, painful and/or excessively damaged teeth (that aren’t good candidates for the alternative treatment – root canal) will benefit from teeth extractions.

Our dentists in Scarborough and dentists in Milton perform tooth extractions quickly and with minimal discomfort to treat a host of dental conditions, including advanced gum disease.

When is Tooth Extraction Recommended?

• If a candidate for dentures only has a few worn or compromised remaining teeth on an arch.
• When patients have impacted teeth positioned to emerge out of alignment, or teeth that block others from erupting.
• Orthodontic patients with overcrowded mouths that require more space along the jawline to properly align the teeth.

How Teeth Extractions are Performed

The day of your extraction, we anesthetize the area and carefully rock the tooth back and forth to expand the socket and loosen the ligaments. You will feel pressure, but should be “numb” to any real discomfort.

Post Teeth Extraction Care

To protect the blood clot that will form in the empty tooth socket, we advise patients to avoid rinsing, spitting, sucking through straws, hot foods, cigarettes or alcohol during the first 24 hours.  If alveolar osteitis, dry socket, occurs, we will recommend an immediate course of action.

You should also adhere to a liquid diet during the first day and use clean gauze, or even tea bags, to pack the wound.

Remember, a small amount of bleeding is normal and ice and acetaminophen will help with the swelling and discomfort.

After 24 hours, you’ll begin a regimen of gentle, salt water rinses and resume your normal oral hygiene routine, taking care to avoid the empty socket and the adjacent teeth. Within two weeks, you can expect to feel significantly better.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth Removal

Wisdom teeth or third molars frequently need to be removed.  When the jaws do not have enough room to house the new teeth, crowding can occur and cause misalignment or damage to the surrounding teeth.

Wisdom Teeth are best removed as early as possible whenever required to do so to avoid problems later on in life, when the jaw bone is less flexible and roots are well established.

There is no set time for the impacted wisdom tooth to occur. Impacted wisdom teeth can occur for some patients in their early teens. For some other people, this could be when they are in their twenties.

If left untreated then you could expect problems to begin to appear when people are in their 20s but much more so when they are in their 30s.

The principal reason to remove impacted wisdom teeth is to prevent long-term damage to your teeth, gums and jawbone.

Advances in Dentistry and Medicine, now allow patients to undergo wisdom tooth removal without excessive discomfort and to heal rapidly.

Some of the possible problems arising from impacted wisdom teeth would be:

Gum Infection:

Gum infection around the wisdom tooth can become irritated and infected and painful. This could cause problems with chewing and swallowing. This happens because the wisdom tooth is trying to erupt but there isn’t enough room for the tooth.

In some cases, when there is a delay in the removal of an impacted wisdom tooth, a related problem is the formation of a cyst in the jaw bone area. If left untreated this could damage adjacent jaw bone, and sometimes teeth as well.

Crowding of teeth:

Impacted wisdom teeth can also be responsible for creating a crowding of your teeth. This is most visible in your lower front teeth, although this can also happen in your upper front teeth.

While there are several factors that can cause this, especially in early adulthood, but retained impacted wisdom teeth is a major factor.

Damage to Adjacent Teeth:

Another effect of the impacted wisdom tooth is that because there isn’t enough space for the tooth to fully erupt, it becomes difficult to brush the area around the tooth directly in front of the impacted tooth. This could cause gum disease, decay or bone loss around your second molar.

What to Expect

You may feel apprehensive, so we dedicate ourselves to answering all of your questions before we proceed.

Patients should expect a thorough examination including X-rays and medical history assessment to review medications, any past extractions and any problems with excessive bleeding.

In some cases, where the tooth is not visible above the gum line,  we may refer you to an oral surgeon.

FAQ about Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Ques: I did not have my wisdom teeth removed as a teenager or young adult. Now what?

Answer: The reason to remove wisdom teeth early is to do it before the roots of the tooth have become long and the jawbone becomes denser, is that its simply easier to do the extraction at the early age and healing is also significantly faster at an early age.

When you are in your forties or later, then the post-operative regimen is longer and there is a greater potential for complications to arise.

Ques: What do I need to before I come in for my wisdom teeth removal appointment?

Answer: Ideally you should not eat or drink anything for at least 6 hours before the surgery. The exception to this rule, of course, will be a prescription medicine. Make sure that your dentist knows what prescription medications you are on.

The anesthesia that you will receive for the extraction could cause nausea if you have eaten close to the surgery time.

We may need to reschedule your tooth extraction appointment if you haven’t followed this cardinal rule.

Ques: Should someone accompany me for my wisdom tooth extraction appointment?

Yes. We would recommend that you have an adult present when you come in for your wisdom tooth removal. Ideally, this person will be needed so that you don’t need to drive back after your surgery, as your anesthesia will take some time to completely wear off.

Ques: Do I need anesthesia?

Answer: Yes you do need anesthesia for the extraction of an impacted wisdom tooth. The process of anesthesia is quick and essentially painless. For people who are worried about needles, we have the option of Nitrous Oxide sedation, which will ensure that the subsequent local sedation if needed is barely felt by you.

Dentists who are qualified and licensed to deliver this sedation, provide sedation. Our sterilization and infection control systems are all state of the art and follow the latest protocols of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario.

Ques: how long is the procedure to extract an impacted wisdom tooth?

Answer: Under normal circumstances, the impacted wisdom tooth removal procedure will take between 30 and 60 minutes. Your entire appointment will take approximately 90 minutes.

Ques: What happens after the procedure?

Answer: You are given local anesthesia after the procedure to ensure comfort during the time needed to travel home and to rest. It is best to plan to rest and sleep for the better part of the day after your wisdom tooth removal procedure is completed.

Your dentist will also prescribe medication that will help minimize post-operative pain and swelling.

We suggest that you should take on mainly sedentary activities on the day of surgery. You should be able to resume your normal work schedule once you feel comfortable.

Ques: Do I need stitches in my gums after wisdom tooth removal?

Answer: Yes, it is possible that your surgery requires stitches. The stitches that we use are the type that dissolves in a period of 4 to 5 days. You do not need to come in for the removal of these stitches.

Ques: What happens when the local anesthesia provided to me after the procedure wears off?

Answer: Your Dentist will provide you with a prescription of pain killers and anti-inflammatory medicines. You should take these as directed by your dentist.

Use ‘ice packs’ on the side of your face where surgery was performed. Speak to your dentist about how best to do this.

Ques: Is there something I should be concerned about in my recovery period?

Answer: You may feel a sensation of swollen gums. You may also feel pain occasionally from the spot where the wisdom tooth was removed. This is not a cause of concern. This is all part of the recovery process.

If the pain becomes severe or you start to notice bleeding, then you should immediately call the dental office and come in for a checkup.

The extraction of impacted teeth is serious surgery. We always point out to our patients that post-operative care is very important. Following our instructions carefully will help minimize pain and also help minimize the chance of an infection during the recovery period.

Restrict your activities the day of surgery and resume normal activity when you feel comfortable.

You should avoid vigorously rinsing your mouth or touching the surgery area. Both things have the ability to cause bleeding.

Ques: What should I eat in my recovery period?

Answer: On the day of the surgery – we recommend a diet that is primarily liquid for example broths. The next step would be to eat food that is semi-solid. As you become comfortable chewing gradually move on to solid foods and begin to resume your normal diet.

A high-calorie diet which includes a high protein intake is very important in the recovery period. This diet will assist with recovery. You should also consume plenty of fluids and ensure that you stay hydrated.

The solid food you can eat will be limited for the first few days following the surgery. Try to have a larger quantity of fluids including broths etc in this period. A balanced and timely diet is important. Being regular with your food will help you feel stronger, and will also help minimize the feeling of discomfort.

Ques: How long is recovery time after wisdom tooth extraction?

Like all surgeries, the first 48 hours after your wisdom tooth extraction are critical as this is the time in which you may experience bleeding, some pressure on the area where was the extraction was performed, and some swelling.

Thereafter, recovery can take about a week and sometimes two weeks to be complete. Of course, your actual recovery time will depend upon the procedure performed and the degree of complication in the impacted wisdom tooth.

Ques: How do I prevent an infection after tooth removal?

At Orion Dental Milton and Orion Dental Scarborough, we ensure that all protocols are followed in your impacted wisdom tooth extraction as indeed in any other treatment at the offices.

Post-surgery care is much more in the control of the patient. Our advice to our patients after a surgery is to explain to them the concerns about infections post-surgery. The risk here is exposure of the surgery area to bacteria. We advice our patients to rinse their mouth periodically with warm saltwater, this will help prevent infection. We also advice that patients brush their teeth regularly, although you need to be gentle and careful when brushing near the area where the extraction has been performed. Sometimes an antibiotic mouth rinse may help, in which case your dentist will prescribe that.

Ques: What does wisdom tooth removal cost in Toronto?

Answer: The cost of wisdom tooth removal depends upon the complexity of the extraction and the time taken to remove the impacted wisdom tooth. This complexity, in turn, depends upon how impacted the wisdom tooth is. Another factor is the kind of anesthesia used.

At the time of your consultation when the decision to remove the impacted wisdom tooth is taken, your dentist will explain to you the factors involved and the cost of the procedure, in your specific case.

If you have insurance, our office can assist you in confirming your coverage. Please bear in mind that every insurance company has a different policy regarding the extent of coverage for a given surgical procedure.

If needed, you could explore the option of independent dental financing. Our office can provide you details of the dental finance companies that our office works with.

Schedule a consultation

The Orion Dental team will partner with you before, during, and after the dental procedure. You can feel confident that we will fully explain what to expect and will provide thorough and compassionate care. Our doctors are trained, licensed, and highly experienced in performing impacted wisdom teeth or other teeth extractions.

Many patients who have extractions performed benefit from dental implants or mini dental implants paired with crowns to rebuild the tooth, so ask us about this prosthetic option.