The wisdom teeth are referred too as the third molar. The third molar extraction is a very common oral surgery. It has been documented as the most common oral surgery performed on Canadian young adults. (cite this:
J Can Dent Assoc2013;79;d106. ). There has been some controversy on the medical necessity justifying the extraction of wisdom teeth. The AAOMS (American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons) findings merit the decision to extract wisdom teeth. The patients health status and access to professional oral health care must have each case tailored to their needs. The AAOMS report patients who have wisdom teeth (with no symptoms) are associated with periodontal disease and cavities.
Because the wisdom teeth have this association with periodontal disease (due to difficulty cleaning/lack of space) and cavities the decision to extract wisdom teeth is most effective.
Sedation and Wisdom Teeth
Having the extraction of all wisdom teeth is done with IV sedation. The patient is given some oral medication and relaxes in a comfortable chair, usually listening to music. Since we do IV sedation routinely and 5 days a week our sedation patients have a private washroom facility. Once the medication has taken effect, then the patient is escorted to a surgery room. All our surgery rooms are equipped with chairs that have message and heat. This helps to relax the patient and is great for circulation. The IV sedation is then administered then the procedure begins.
Post-operative Instructions
All patients are informed of post-operative instructions prior to the wisdom teeth extraction appointment. All IV sedation patients will have a consult with our nurse so all patients understand the procedure. This helps with a very good recovery.
