Wisdom Tooth Removal, Williamsburg VA

What Are Wisdom Teeth?

Third molars are commonly referred to as wisdom teeth. They are usually the last teeth to develop and are located in the back of your mouth, behind your second molars. Their development is usually completed between the middle teenage years and early twenties, a time traditionally associated with the onset of maturity and the attainment of wisdom.

What Is An Impacted Tooth?

Although most people develop and grow 32 permanent adult teeth, many times their jaws are too small to accommodate the four wisdom teeth. When inadequate space prevents the teeth from erupting they are called impacted. This indicates their inability to erupt into the proper position for chewing and cleaning.

Types Of Impactions

We will need to see you for a consultation to determine if you will benefit from wisdom tooth removal. A special x-ray of your mouth and jaws (panorex) will be taken to determine if your wisdom teeth are impacted, if there is room for them to erupt, and how difficult it will be to have them removed.

  • Soft Tissue Impaction: There is not enough room to allow the gum tissue to retract for adequate cleaning of the tooth.
  • Partial Bony Impaction: There is enough space to allow the wisdom tooth to partially erupt. However, the tooth cannot function properly in the chewing process, and creates cleaning problems, among others.
  • Complete Bony Impaction: There is NO space for the tooth to erupt. It remains embedded in the jawbone or if even partially visible requires complex surgical techniques for removal.The impacted wisdom tooth may also be in an unusual position and difficult to remove. This situation can also arise when the shape or size of the jawbone and other facial structures make removal of this tooth significantly more complex.
Soft Tissue
Partial Bony
Complete Bony

 

Why Should I Have My Wisdom Teeth Removed?

If you do not have enough room in your mouth for your third molars to fully erupt, a number of problems can happen. Impacted wisdom teeth should be removed before their root structure is fully developed. In some patients it is as early as 12 or 13, and in others it may not be until the early twenties. Problems tend to occur with increasing frequency after the age of 30. Some of the possible problems related to not removing your wisdom teeth include:

Infection:

The most frequent clinical problem we see is pericoronitis, (a localized gum infection). Without enough room for total eruption, the gum tissue around the wisdom tooth can become irritated and infected, resulting in recurrent pain, swelling, and problems with chewing and/or swallowing.

Cyst Formation:

Non-infectious diseases may also arise in association with an impacted wisdom tooth. Cysts are fluid-filled “balloons” inside the jawbone that develop as a result of impacted teeth and slowly expand destroying adjacent jawbone and occasionally teeth. They can be very difficult to treat if your wisdom teeth are not removed in your teenage years. Although rare, tumors can be associated with the delayed removal of wisdom teeth.

Possible Crowding:

Impacted wisdom teeth may contribute to crowding of your teeth. This is most noticeable with the front teeth, primarily the lower front teeth and is most commonly seen after a patient has had braces. There are a number of factors that cause teeth to crowd after braces or in early adulthood. Retained, impacted wisdom teeth may be a contributing factor. Unless you have an active problem when you see the oral surgeon, the reason for removal is primarily to prevent long-term damage to your teeth, gums and jawbone.

Damage to Adjacent Teeth:

If there is inadequate room to clean around the wisdom tooth, the tooth directly in front, the second molar, can be adversely affected resulting in gum disease, bone loss around the tooth, and/or decay.

What If I Don’t Have My Wisdom Teeth Removed As A Teenager Or Young Adult?

As wisdom teeth develop, the roots become longer and the jawbone more dense.When it is necessary to remove impacted wisdom teeth in your thirties, forties or beyond, the post-operative course can be prolonged and there is a higher complication rate. Treating these complications is often more difficult and less predictable than with a younger patient. Healing may be slower and the chance of infection can be increased. If your impacted wisdom teeth are not removed in your teenage years or early in your twenties and they are completely impacted in bone, it may be advisable to wait until a localized problem (such as cyst formation or localized gum disease and bone loss) develops. In general, you will heal faster, more predictably and have fewer complications if treated in your teens or early twenties.

What Happens On The Day They Are Removed?

Most people prefer to be unaware of the experience when they have their wisdom teeth removed and usually decide to be sedated. You will be provided with appropriate anesthesia options at your consultation. All outpatient surgery is performed under appropriate anesthesia to maximize your comfort. Our office staff has the training, licensing, and experience to provide the various types of anesthesia. These services are provided in an environment of optimum safety, utilizing modern monitoring equipment and a well trained experienced staff. The Surgical Care Team, the office facility, and the provider are inspected/reviewed and certified every two years on behalf of The Board of Dental Examiners of Virginia and in accordance with the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

We ask that a parent or responsible adult accompanies you to the office and plans to stay with you the rest of the day. The procedure will take about 30 to 60 minutes and you will probably be in the office for 90 minutes. Recent advances in medicine and technology allow patients to undergo wisdom tooth removal in a manner, which promotes rapid healing and minimal post-operative discomfort. State of the art sterilization and infection control techniques are used at all times.

On the morning or afternoon of your surgery, it is essential that you have nothing to eat or drink (excluding prescription medications with a sip of water) for at least 6-8 hours. This does not mean you should try to fit in one “last meal” exactly eight hours before your surgery. Having anything in your stomach can increase the risk for serious anesthetic complications, including nausea and vomiting. Your procedure will be rescheduled if you have not heeded these guidelines. We may provide you with a prescription for pain medication at your consultation appointment, which for your convenience, can be filled in advance. When you are seated in the surgical room, we will make every effort to make you as comfortable as possible. If you are going to be sedated, we usually will place an IV in your right arm. This is a quick and nearly painless procedure that ensures optimal delivery of your medication. Local anesthesia is given to you afterwards to ensure comfort, and allow adequate time to travel home and rest. You will be sleepy for a significant portion of the day.

If your surgery requires stitches, these are usually the type that dissolve in 3 to 5 days and do not require removal. You may also notice a sensation of your gums feeling swollen and pulling away from your teeth. This is all part of the normal recovery, and will subside in several days.

Once the local anesthesia wears off, you may require prescription pain medication. Please try non-narcotic anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen (Advil®) first, to see if that adequately treats your pain. If not, begin your other prescription pain medication. The local anesthesia may last until early that night, and should not be confused with an injury to your nerve. We recommend starting your post-operative diet with clear liquids such as jello and broths, gradually increasing in substance as your body permits.

We do not recommend using dairy products such as yogurt, ice cream or milkshakes on the day of surgery, as nausea and vomiting may develop in conjunction with the anesthetic and pain medication. If you are given antibiotics and you take birth control pills, please be aware that the birth control pills might become ineffective and take appropriate precautions.

What Happens Afterwards – What Will I Feel Like?

Wisdom Teeth Presentation

To provide you with a better understanding of wisdom teeth, we have provided the following multimedia presentation. Many common questions pertaining to wisdom teeth are discussed.

Wisdom Teeth Presentation

On the first day after surgery, you may experience some minor bleeding and pain. You should cover your pillowcase with something so that you don’t get any blood on it. Each individual’s reaction to surgery varies, and the sensation of pain can range from mild discomfort to severe pain. A variable amount of swelling can be expected following the surgery. This swelling usually peaks on the second day and should begin resolving on the third day. We use medications at the time of surgery to reduce your swelling. You can use ice for the first 12-24 hrs. On the third day, you will notice that your jaw muscles are stiff, and it is difficult to open your mouth normally. You can apply moist heat to your face on the second and third day allowing your muscles to relax more and open wider. Most of the time you will want to limit your activities for a few days. We ask that you follow your post-operative instructions closely. Doing so will make you as comfortable as possible during the first few days following your procedure. Please allow time for your body to begin healing before resuming an active social, academic, or athletic schedule. Most patients feel like they are over the hump and on their way to recovery in 3 to 5 days.

Are There Any Problems?

As with any medical procedure, there can be complications or an unanticipated result. Some complications that patients undergoing Wisdom Tooth Extraction may experience include: Damage to the sensory nerve that supplies sensation to the lips and tongue, sinus communication, infections and dry sockets.

After the procedure, our assistants will review your post-operative instructions with your escort. We ask that you follow these instructions closely, as they will make you most comfortable following your procedure. If you were sedated, you will be comfortable and drowsy when you leave the office. Most patients prefer to go home and rest with no other physical or scholastic activities planned for a few days. With any medical procedure, there can be unexpected results. These can include delayed healing, infection and post-operative numbness or tingling in your lip, chin, or tongue. The oral surgeon will review relevant post-operative events with you and answer any questions during your office visit.

Damage to Sensory Nerve:

A primary concern is a nerve within the lower jawbone that supplies feeling to the lower lip, chin, and tongue. This nerve is frequently very close to the roots of the lower wisdom teeth. Having these teeth out between the ages of 12 and 18 usually provides shorter roots so that the nerve is not so close to the roots of these teeth. Occasionally, when the teeth are removed, and especially in older patients, the nerve can become injured. When local anesthesia wears off, you may experience a tingling or numbing sensation in the lower lip, chin, or tongue. Should this occur, it is usually temporary and will resolve gradually over a period of weeks or months. On rare occasions it can result in a permanent alteration of sensation similar to having local anesthesia. We feel that you should be aware of this possibility before consenting to surgery.

Sinus Communication:

The upper wisdom teeth are situated close to your sinuses, and their removal can result in an opening between your mouth and the sinus. Once again, if the teeth are removed at an early age, the root formation is minimal, and this complication is very unlikely. However, if it does occur, it will usually close spontaneously, but we may give you special instructions to follow, such as avoid blowing your nose for two or three days following the surgery. You can wipe your nose, but don’t blow your nose. If you have to sneeze, you should sneeze with an open mouth into a tissue. Pressure should not be created in the sinus area, which may dislodge the healing blood clot. If you sense this condition occurring after the surgery, please contact the office. An additional procedure may RARELY be necessary to close the opening.

Dry Sockets:

Dry sockets continue to be the most common problem people experience following dental surgery. They arise due to premature loss of a blood clot in the empty tooth socket. This seems to occur with greater frequency in people who smoke or are taking birth control pills. While both jaws can be affected, they usually occur in the lower jaw on the third to fifth day. They cause a deep, dull, continuous aching on the affected side(s). Patients may first notice the pain starting in the ear radiating down towards the chin.

The symptoms frequently begin in the middle of the night, and your pain medication regimen may not help. Treatment can involve changing your prescription. Occasionally it is helpful to place a medicated dressing in the empty tooth socket. This will help decrease the pain and protect the socket from food particles. The effectiveness in alleviating the pain lasts for 24-48hrs

The dressing doesn’t aid in healing. The only reason to place a dressing is for pain control. If medication is controlling the pain, the socket will heal without a dressing.  We may provide an irrigation device to help you to keep food particles from lodging in the extraction site.

Infection:

Occasionally, post-operative infections occur. This usually requires an office visit and clinical examination. Many times, just placing you on an antibiotic for one week will take care of the infection. If it persists, the area will have to be drained and cleaned. Other temporary problems you may experience in the post-operative period include stiffness of the jaws, chafing around the corners of your lips, facial bruising, and blood oozing from the extraction sites. The post-operative instruction sheet we will provide should answer many of the questions related to these more common concerns. If not, don’t hesitate to call the office.

What Does The Procedure Cost And Is It Covered By Insurance?

The fee for your treatment is determined by a number of factors. These may include the difficulty involved in removing your teeth and which type of anesthesia is best for you. During your consultation appointment, the surgeon will need to review your x-rays, complete an examination and determine the best option for anesthesia, before an accurate estimate can be provided. Every insurance company has a different policy regarding the extent of coverage for a given surgical procedure. The oral surgeon’s office staff will help you obtain maximum insurance coverage for your treatment.

What If I Have Questions Before Surgery?

At the time of your consultation, your specific situation will be discussed in greater detail. We encourage you to ask any questions you may have. If new questions arise after your consultation, please call the doctor’s office to speak to one of the patient care coordinators.

The Day of Treatment

Please do not eat or drink anything prior to your surgery. Having anything in your stomach can increase the risk for serious anesthetic complications.

Oral Examination

With an oral examination and x-rays of the mouth, Dr. Kiely can evaluate the position of the wisdom teeth and predict if there are present or future potential problems. Studies have shown that early evaluation and treatment result in a superior outcome for the patient. Patients are generally first evaluated in the mid-teenage years by their dentist, orthodontist, or by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

All outpatient surgery is performed under appropriate anesthesia to maximize patient comfort. Dr. Kiely is trained, licensed, and highly experienced in providing various types of anesthesia.

Removal

In most cases, the removal of wisdom teeth is performed under Intravenous Sedation, local anesthesia, laughing gas (nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia), or general anesthesia. These options, as well as the surgical risks (i.e., sensory nerve damage, sinus complications), will be discussed with you before the procedure is performed. Once the teeth are removed, the gum is sutured if needed (these sutures generally do not need to be removed as they dissolve in a matter of days) . To help control bleeding bite down on the gauze placed in your mouth for the next hour or so. You will rest under our supervision in the office until you are ready to be taken home. Upon discharge your postoperative kit will include postoperative instructions, a prescription for pain medication, antibiotics (if needed), extra gauze and a follow-up appointment in one week for follow-up. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call us at Williamsburg Office Phone Number 757-208-0138.

Our services are provided in an environment of optimum safety. We utilize modern monitoring equipment and our staff are experienced in anesthesia techniques.

Coastal Oral Maxillofacial Surgery & Implants, Inc.

5 out of 5 stars based on 97 Wisdom Teeth reviews

Patient Review

If I needed to do this all over again, I would do it again in a heartbeat at Coastal Oral Maxillofacial Surgery. The entire staff was so wonderful, from the reception staff, to the insurance team, to Dr. Kiely. Every person that I spoke to was kind, comforting, and wonderful. I have had no complications following my surgery, and the website design is superb. You can tell that everybody in the office loves what they do, and it truly shows in the way that the team works. Thank you to Dr. Kiely and his wonderful team 🙂

- Meridian G

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

Excellent

- Kevin F

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

Great people!

- Ted H

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

Very efficiently managed office, courteous staff. Was out of office within an hour for a wisdom tooth extraction.

- paul m

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

We actually showed up late for the appointment and they were kind enough to let us return the following day even though, it was my fault for being late. There was almost no waiting and the procedure took less than an hour. Overall, great experience.

- Ivy J

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

Absolutely the best visit we have ever had with an oral surgeons office. Kind caring staff, attentive compassionate Doctor. Would highly recommend this office to anyone.

- Genevieve B

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

I look forward to continuing to recommend this office out to anyone who needs help.

- Erica B

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

Amazing!

- Kim B

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

Appreciated how Dr. Kiely explained everything to my teen in a way that allowed her to understand and ask questions without feeling patronized or spoken down to. The doctor’s staff was also polite and professional throughout—thank you 🙂

- Annjka B

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

Made everything easy and comfortable

- Jordan M

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

I would definitely come back here, they all made me feel so comfortable gave me a blanket and talked to me about the procedure very nice people.

- Eternity N

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

Couldn't be more pleased with the staff and guidance I received from the doctor!

- Michael R

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

Excellent service

- Tylajah E

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

I had an awesome experience!!!! All of the nurses / doctors / everyone was so sweet and nice 🙂

- Sabrina S

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

Super first visit

- Gerald G

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

The staff were so kind!! Answered all my questions and were so comforting when I was nervous about the procedure. The doctor was also really reassuring before and after the procedure and did such a great job on my teeth, the recovery was so easy!

- Caitie M

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

Super organized! Quick and easy! I have had absolutely no discomfort and the staff made me laugh and feel super comfortable.

- McKenzi T

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

What a fantastic oral surgeon dentist etc. he has great my son really enjoyed talking with him and we will be returning

- Bennett B

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

Appt was for wisdom teeth extraction. I was nervous but they explained the procedure and made me comfortable.

- Daisha D

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

I would give this place a 10 star rating if I could. I had Dr. Kiely and he was amazing! I was super scared when I went to get my procedure done yesterday. All the staff was super nice to me and held my hand as I transitioned into surgery. It’s the next day and I feel like no pain at all. Amazing! My older sister went here too a few years ago. I will continue to go here if I need anything else done. Best experience of my life! HIGHLY recommend!

- Sydnee F

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

I like this practice and highly recommend it. The Receptionist was friendly and welcoming. The assistant were friendly and professional, and the doctor was GREAT!. Everyone explained what was happening and within 5 minutes each step was done. Insurance coordinator was also easy going and helpful... two thumbs way up!

- Miss W

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

Issues with getting prescriptions called in

- Rosa D

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

Good people, great service. Can’t ask for more

- Raj R

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

As above. Thanks.

- Matthew L

4 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

I would highly recommend friends and family to this office to have oral surgery done! I had a great experience and if I ever need oral surgery care I will return to their office!

- Kim T

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

Dr Kiely and his staff were amazing! In a stressful time when other oral surgeons were not accepting new patients he went out of his way to not only do a consult but perform the surgery.

- Shelly H

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

This doctor and office staff in this office are the friendliest and most knowledgeable lI have ever visited. The dr explained everything in layman's terms and they have an insurance specialist who explains all costs could not ask for better service. Wish they could do all of my dental work.

- Denise W

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

I really like that Dr. Guiries answered all my questions and spent a reasonable amount of time. With us to explain the situation and procedure. Generally at Dr appointments it’s very rushed and patients are treated like a number - this was not the case for this office. I also appreciate the insurance counselor to thoroughly go over all the billing for us. Thank you for making us feel welcome and comfortable.

- Judy F

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

Great people

- Tyjon B

5 out of 5 stars on

Patient Review

felt like i was in good hands!!

- margaret a

5 out of 5 stars on