Wisdom Teeth Removal in Washington, DC

We offer multiple different types of anesthesia for wisdom tooth removal, including general, local, and IV sedation. Most often, we will combine long-lasting EXPAREL® (which lasts up to 72 hours, providing postoperative relief) with IV sedation, which results in a relaxing experience. Most of our patients doze off during the procedure and wake up pain-free!

There are plenty of foods patients can eat after their wisdom tooth extraction. For the first couple of days, patients should avoid hard or crunchy foods and refrain from chewing in the back of their mouth. They should stick to soft or liquid foods only so that their mouth has time to heal. Some of the best foods include:

• Soup or broth, especially blended soups like tomato or pumpkin. It’s important that the soup isn’t too hot, or else it could cause irritation
• Greek yogurt, as it’s packed with protein and vitamins
• Ice cream, as the coolness can feel great on the mouth
• Smoothies, as they’re a great way to get nutrients
• Mashed fruits and vegetables, such as potatoes, bananas, apples, or pumpkins

The main reason humans no longer have room for wisdom teeth is that our diets have changed. Early humans ate very coarse, high-fiber diets that were difficult to chew. This tough diet meant we needed very strong jaw muscles to grind and crush food. As we developed as children, our jaws responded and grew larger in the molar areas. If we look at the jaws of early humans, we rarely see impacted teeth. We also do not see many cavities, as we also did not have processed sugars. This meant early humans did not usually get cavities. As our diets have gotten softer and less fibrous, our jaws have gotten smaller. This means those third molars don’t have any room to move into the jaw. It is too small. The only solution for our patients is to have them removed.

Generally, it is best to have all the wisdom teeth removed at once. That way, the patient only has to deal with one surgery and one recovery period. Because the patient will only need to schedule one operative appointment at our office and undergo sedation once, a one-time removal can be far cheaper than multiple sessions. What’s more, the recovery time for wisdom teeth removal is the same whether the patient has one tooth or all four teeth extracted. Having them all done in one session can eliminate the number of days a patient needs to take off work or school. Additionally, patients will only need to go on a soft-food or liquid diet once, which can often be a struggle.

If the wisdom teeth aren’t causing any pain, it’s possible they may not need to be removed. However, the only way to know for sure is for patients to schedule a consultation at our office. At this consultation, Drs. Emery, Retana, and Shim can use X-rays and other technology to see how the wisdom teeth look inside the gums. If the wisdom teeth are impacted or don’t appear to have enough room to emerge, our doctors will recommend their removal, even if the patient isn’t currently experiencing pain. Usually, it’s only a matter of time before pain, tooth damage, and infection start to plague the patient’s mouth. It’s much better to be proactive about wisdom teeth removal, as it can help patients avoid experiencing uncomfortable symptoms.

Unfortunately, patients can experience a number of complications if they wait to have their wisdom teeth removed. Because there often isn’t enough room for the wisdom teeth, they may not fully emerge from the gums, a condition known as impaction. Impacted teeth can press on adjacent teeth, causing pain, misalignment, and even damage. This pain is more than a simple toothache because it can radiate from the teeth all the way throughout the jaw and head. What’s more, sometimes teeth only emerge from the gums partially. This makes it extremely hard for patients to clean the entire tooth, and bacteria can often get under the gums and cause extreme decay. This decay can spread from the wisdom teeth to other teeth in the mouth, contributing to overall poor oral health.