What's it like: To have your wisdom teeth removed

The problem most people have with impacted wisdom teeth is that there isn't room for them to come into a healthy maintainable position. Often times, they can develop infections, periodontal disease and also cysts or tumors in the jaw bone. Sometimes they will exert pressure on the teeth in front of them, which can cause damage to those teeth and contribute to crowding.

Your surgeon will want to remove your wisdom teeth if it looks like they will create damage or if there are already problems associated with them. Not everyone has all of their wisdom teeth removed.

What happens when your wisdom teeth are removed?

You'll have an initial consultation, most likely with a specialist who treats impacted wisdom teeth. It's important to ask any questions you might have during this consultation.

You'll discuss the procedure and the type of anesthesia that will be used during your surgery. The main three options for wisdom teeth removal are local anesthesia in the form of an injection near the surgical site; sedation anesthesia, which is given to you through an IV in your arm; and general anesthesia, where you inhale medicine through your nose. If you're having all four teeth removed, you will most likely be put to sleep during the surgery. However, you likely won't be taken under deep enough to require breathing assistance.

The night before the procedure, you won't be allowed to eat anything after midnight. To begin the extraction, the medical team will give you anesthesia to make you fall asleep, if that's being used for your procedure. The surgeon will apply local anesthesia to numb the surgical areas of your mouth.

To remove the tooth, your surgeon will cut your gum and remove your tooth. Each surgeon has his or her own techniques, but generally, your tooth will be cut into sections and removed.

At the end of the procedure, your surgeon will sew up the area with some sutures, if necessary. Some surgeons use sutures that dissolve or fall out on their own. You'll have some gauze placed in your mouth to help stop the bleeding. If you're having four wisdom teeth removed, the procedure will take about 30 minutes.