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Wisdom tooth hood removal is considered a safe intervention that lasts for a relatively short time. But in order to reduce the risk of complications, it is extremely important to address such a problem to the doctor at the initial stage of its development. Otherwise, the chances of side effects are too high, such as an extensive inflammatory process with the need to remove the tooth itself.
What is a dental hood?
In recent years, researchers have increasingly recorded cases when people do not grow wisdom teeth at all throughout their lives, which are called the third molar. It is believed that in two centuries they will become a rarity altogether.
By themselves, these parts of the oral cavity do not pose any threat if their growth has been stably normal. But such a successful scenario is extremely rare. Usually a person additionally suffers from severe pain, fever, general malaise.
Often the clinical picture is supplemented by the fact that a hood begins to hang over the problematic structure, which poses a serious threat to the well-being of the victim.
Since wisdom teeth are mostly pierced at about the age of 18 to 25 years, gum growths with excess skin make themselves felt at about this age and a little older. The fact that there are four similar teeth in the body increases the risk factors. They are located on each side of both jaws.
Another difficulty is that at the time of the “birth” of the third molar, the jaw system almost always has time to fully form. This means that there is no place for a new tenant there, which provokes the imposition of the tooth on the tooth, their displacement, displacement, incorrect growth with the wrong direction, squeezing and covering with part of the gum.
Just the last case takes place in professional medical terminology under the name of an impacted tooth. This is the name of a molar whose growth is blocked by soft or hard tissue. Some inhabitants believe that if there is not enough space in the oral cavity for a new “neighbor”, then it simply stops growing. But in fact, this is not a reason to stop, but only a reason for the “sufferer” to start looking for ways around. Because of this, he pry, and then completely grows into the surrounding space of the gums or even the bone structure, which brings not only a feeling of discomfort, but also unbearable pain.
It is strictly forbidden to tolerate such a condition, especially since it is extremely bad to stun the pain with standard painkillers in this situation. If the problem tooth grows unevenly and at the same time manages not to touch the surrounding area too much, then although this reduces the risks of complications, it provokes the development of that same hood.
The principle of its appearance is simple: first, the first half of the tooth is cut through, cutting through the gum. This forms a “roof” over the second part. Such soft tissue under the molar often becomes inflamed, bleeds, hurts, and can even secrete pus if the victim takes time to go to the dentist’s office.
Stages of inflammation
Initially, the patient may not even notice that he has a hood, because in a calm state he rarely brings significant inconvenience. But after a couple of days, difficulties will begin. First, pieces of food begin to clog into the gap between the overgrown skin and the tooth component, turning it into an ideal atmosphere for the development of pathogens. But saliva does not get there, although it is she who warns against the abundant reproduction of bacteria, acting as a kind of natural stabilizer of the acid-base environment.
Due to the fact that microorganisms develop with terrifying speed, and no one controls them, a powerful inflammatory process begins. In the case of a specifically affected hood, the disease is called pericoronitis. Its main symptoms are as follows:
- swelling not only of the gum itself, but also of part of the face;
- inability to function normally with the jaw – open, close the mouth;
- problems with swallowing;
- purulent odor from the oral cavity, resulting from the release of waste products of dangerous microorganisms;
- dizziness;
- headache;
- fever.
But all of the above is just the tip of the iceberg of the disease, as the clinical picture will worsen every few hours. This is due to the fact that a rapidly developing infection quickly moves to neighboring tissues. First, the chewing muscles will suffer, which will give pain with every movement. Then the jaw itself will start to hurt.
In the saddest development, a general infection occurs. This became possible due to the anatomical features of the human body, since many small blood vessels are hidden in the affected soft tissues.
Once the microbe enters the bloodstream, it can “travel” to all internal organs. On the part of health, such neglect threatens to awaken chronic ailments, as well as a general deterioration in immunity.
If you reach the last, then just getting rid of the problematic soft part will not be enough. You will have to contact the inpatient department of the hospital, where additional measures of assistance for the victim will be provided.
How is the operation going?
Excision of the hood, although it lasts a little, is still an operation. If for a number of other dental pathologies it is still possible to get by with alternative methods of treatment, then this will not work with the inflamed part of the third molar, and only surgical intervention remains.
The only good news is that the hood in terms of its functional characteristics does not bear any benefit. This is a foreign object that an experienced dentist will remove in about fifteen minutes, while using local anesthesia to relieve pain.
Involving general anesthesia is an unnecessary measure, even for those people who are afraid of visiting the dental office. Modern painkillers completely eliminate the ability to feel any discomfort during excision.
The only important precaution should be to identify a possible allergic reaction to the components of anesthesia. To do this, the medical staff, before starting the manipulation, is always interested in whether the victim is allergic to any drugs.
If the patient is unsure, an allergy test may be performed to negate the risk of anaphylactic shock.
Separately, the issues of pregnant women who are afraid that the medicine will harm the unborn baby are considered. Here, the decision is made locally by the attending specialist, taking into account the individual characteristics of the woman’s body. But since local anesthesia covers a very small working area, the risks of negative effects on the fetus are almost always reduced to zero.
The action of the injection makes itself felt in about three minutes. After that, the doctor adheres to the following algorithm of actions:
- treats the affected area with an antiseptic;
- removes the hood with several incisions;
- concomitant minor bleeding eliminates by applying a cotton sponge;
- again disinfects the site of a recent incision;
- applies a special compress with an analgesic complex.
But sometimes it happens that in addition to the softest tissue, the dentist will insist on the removal of a wisdom tooth. In this situation, one cannot persist, since the doctor will necessarily argue his desire with evidence.
Although the third molar is an important part for successful future prosthetics, one should not risk health by leaving it if it has already begun to grow crooked. Otherwise, in six months you can lose both the last tooth in the jaw and a couple of neighboring ones, including even a bone. Such sad forecasts are confirmed by numerous reviews of those who nevertheless did not listen to a specialist.
When a wisdom tooth is removed along with the hood
There are several reasons for the ineffectiveness of only partial removal. Among them, the first place in a kind of popularity rating goes to an insufficient amount of free space.
In practice, this means that a massive tooth simply has nowhere to grow without cutting through the still healthy surrounding surfaces of varying degrees of hardness. If he has a problematic growth bias towards the adjacent tooth or even bone, then he is subject to emergency excision. After that, healing will not take long.
In second place is the absence of other teeth next to the third molar. Then the preservation of the problematic “tenant” does not bear any practical benefit, because such a large distance is not suitable for reliable prosthetics.
Difficulties are added by the fact that the formation of a hood is the prerogative of only those wisdom teeth that have not yet been able to fully pop out. Because of this, a complex operation can stretch over time, and the recovery period will be longer than usual.
The reason for the delay is that there is simply no special scheme for accessing a problem tooth from its hole using standard dental appliances. It all depends on the individual characteristics of each victim, which prompts the doctor to use a drill to divide the tooth into several parts. Only after that it will be possible to get the cut parts out of the alveolar process.
With such a long intervention, the dentist may use general anesthesia if he sees that his patient is on the verge of starting a panic attack. To the same logical conclusion, the dentist will come, who will face an irresistible gag reflex of his ward. This is explained by the fact that even the most accurate master sometimes touches the tongue of the patient, which in some people provokes a strong vomiting reaction. To avoid traumatic situations, it is more productive to simply put a person into an artificial sleep stage.
A contraindication for general anesthesia is only pregnancy in the first and last trimester.
The price of the service will completely depend on what format of anesthesia was used, and also whether something else had to be removed besides the immediate hood.
practical recommendations
All the advice of dentists on the topic of hood removal can be schematically divided into two camps. Some are valid for the day of surgery, while others are valid after removal.
The most important prescription is the refusal throughout the next day after surgery from eating, drinking, visiting baths and saunas.
Physiologically, the ban on drinks, especially hot ones, is explained by the fact that the liquid provokes the washing off of the blood clot. Namely, it acts as the first protective barrier of the cut-off area from microorganisms striving to settle there. Elevated body temperature affects the ability of the blood to clot, which leaves the hole without a barrier that drives away pathogenic bacteria.
For additional safety, the doctor prescribes an antiseptic composition to the ward. With him, rinse the oral cavity for at least a week after the manipulation.
To eliminate the risk of infection, it is necessary to appear at a preventive examination with a doctor a few days after the procedure. At this time, the expert will assess the dynamics of recovery, as well as give new recommendations regarding the rules of personal oral hygiene.