Spring Break: A Great Time to Get Those Painful Wisdom Teeth Out

Thinking about getting your wisdom teeth out? You’ll need some time to recover, and that amount of time can vary from person to person. Spring break is a great time to have your wisdom teeth removed, because you can benefit from built-in downtime for recovery.

At Fayette Dental Group, serving patients in Fayetteville, Georgia, and the surrounding area, Dr. Charley Cheney and our team of experienced dental specialists provide wisdom tooth extractions when needed and can work around your schedule.

Candidates for wisdom tooth removal

The final teeth on each side of your top and bottom arches might be "third molars," also known as your wisdom teeth. Not all people have four wisdom teeth — in fact, it’s estimated that 5-37% of people are missing one or more wisdom teeth. 

But not being able to see your wisdom teeth doesn’t mean you don’t have them. Many times, wisdom teeth get stuck and can’t erupt through your gums due to a lack of space. If you’re 17-21 years old and don’t have wisdom teeth, an X-ray series can show if they’re trapped because of other teeth or crowded into your sinus cavity.

For some people, preemptive wisdom tooth removal is a good idea, as it can keep your wisdom teeth from grinding holes in your adjacent teeth or becoming impacted, resulting in pain and infection. 

If you’re having pain in your jaw or face, you might already be in trouble with your wisdom teeth and should book a consultation right away. Dr. Cheney will tell you if you need wisdom tooth removal.

Planning for wisdom tooth extraction

Depending on how complicated your situation is and how many teeth have to be removed, Dr. Cheney may use local anesthesia or general anesthesia (which means you’ll sleep through the procedure). Having someone lined up to drive you home is advised in the first case and required in the second.

Once you get home, you need a wisdom tooth recovery plan. You may feel the effects for a few days or as long as a few weeks. You’ll need to eat soft foods that don’t require you to chew much. Make sure you don’t try to drink your meals through a straw as this can lead to dry socket, a very painful condition that slows the healing of your extraction site. 

Get some rest and drink plenty of water (room temperature is best, and again—no straw). Self-care is the best way to get better fast. If you get your wisdom teeth out over spring break, you’ve got a built-in buffer of time before you have to go back to your responsibilities. 

Have wisdom teeth in need of extraction? Call 770-683-2000 to book a consultation, or request an appointment using our online form.