Oral surgery

The most common oral surgeries are dental extractions of both permanent and deciduous teeth, a decision taken by the dentist with the patient, if the tooth is very damaged or its incorrect position can influence the position of the other teeth. Wisdom teeth do not always grow in all patients and are extracted if their eruption can interfere with the position of other dental elements or if their position is not correct.
 
Your personal situation is easy to evaluate with an X-ray to decide with your dentist which is the best decision to make. It is recommended to remove them around the age of 18-20, because the root is not yet permanently formed and therefore the operation will be faster and simpler. 
 

The main reasons to extract wisdom teeth are: repeated infections with pain, swelling and difficulty in opening the jaw (trismus), damage to the roots of other teeth, out-of-place eruption or ectopia and likeliness of creating malocclusions.

Postoperative advice after ambulatory oral surgery

1. Keep the gauze pad pressed between the arches for about 20-30 minutes.
2. Do not drive after surgery.
3. Bleeding, moderate pain, ecchymosis (manifested by the appearance of a reddish-violet spot near the surgical site) and swelling are frequent, and sometimes even a reduction in jaw opening may occur. These symptoms tend to increase until day 2-3 postoperatively, and then they gradually decrease. If further complications appear or if these symptoms get worse, contact your doctor.
4. To reduce swelling and pain, in the first 8-12 hours, apply a cold compress to the face in the affected area for 20 minutes with a 20-minute break.
5. Avoid intense physical exercise, rest for the day and keep your head up for the first 24 hours (the first night you would better sleep with two pillows under your head).
6. Do not smoke or drink alcoholic beverages for the first 3-4 days.
7. Do not chew gum.
8. Swallow saliva without spitting and do not rinse your mouth with water for the first 10 hours.
9. Consume semi-liquid and cold food for the first 24 hours. Until the suture thread is removed, mushy and warm food is recommended, chewing it on the opposite side. Do not drink using a straw.
10. Brush your teeth with a soft toothbrush only after the first 10-12 hours. Avoid traumatizing the operating area that needs to be cleaned only with a mouth rinse (2% chlorhexidine) for about 2 minutes, half an hour after brushing your teeth; if necessary, use the prescribed gel cream.
11. Do not take medications containing acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) in order not to slow down and prevent coagulation.
12. Take the prescribed medication, as recommended.