As your child grows up the structure of their mouth and jaw change to allow room for the 32 permanent teeth that will need to serve them for the rest of their lives. These changes also allow for wisdom teeth to develop in their gums behind the rear molars.

They are essentially vestigial teeth that are no longer necessary in the modern day. They typically attempt to emerge from the gums at some point in the later teenage years after all the permanent molars have come in. 

Early symptoms of this happening might include a dull ache, or feeling of pressure, and discomfort in the gums at the back of their mouth. It can also cause a related sense of soreness in the lower jaw muscles around the temporomandibular joints.

As this starts to happen, Dr. Chi will likely recommend having the wisdom teeth extracted to alleviate the pain, and pressure, as well as preventing future problems. Putting off the extraction can put the roots of your child’s rear molars at risk from the increasing pressure.

Dr. Chi can often extract wisdom teeth in a single outpatient appointment. Afterward, Dr. Chi will likely prescribe pain management medication to help your son or daughter remain comfortable while their gums heal.

During the recovery process, they will need to stick to a diet of soft foods. Staying hydrated is also very important. Just be sure they know not to drink with a straw. The suction could potentially pull a blood clot from one of the incision sockets and promote a condition known as dry sockets.

It’s natural for the incision sites to bleed a little for the first few days after the extraction. They can control the bleeding by lightly biting down on some rolled up gauze. Then a gentle rinse with lukewarm salt water can clear your mouth.

If you are in the Manchester, Connecticut, area and you are concerned about your child’s wisdom teeth, you should call (860) 644-0099 to schedule a consultation at Buckland Hills Dental.