Having your wisdom teeth extracted can feel like a big step. This is often done in the late teens or early 20s, so it tends to be one of the first times a patient has any major dental work done. Even if you understand that removing your wisdom teeth is important for preventative care reasons, you might be a little apprehensive. Knowing what to expect can help ease that apprehension. Here's an overview of the key things that will happen and what your dentist will do. 

You'll likely be under anesthesia or sedation.

Having wisdom teeth removed is not usually as traumatic as people assume it will be, and that's because of anesthesia and sedation. If your wisdom teeth are badly compacted, your dentist will generally administer twilight anesthesia so you're pretty "out" while they are being removed. For less-extensive extractions, you'll generally be given a local anesthetic to numb your mouth, plus a sedative to keep you calm. However, if you'd prefer to be unconscious, you can request twilight anesthesia or stronger IV sedation.

The tooth may be removed in pieces.

Some wisdom teeth can be removed all at once. Others are so impacted or so large that a dentist has to break them before removing them. If your dentist has to break one or more of your wisdom teeth, they'll use a drill-like tool to do it. If you're at all conscious, you may feel some pressure at this time, but you should not feel any pain.

Your sockets will generally be left empty.

Sometimes patients are surprised to find that they don't have any stitches after wisdom tooth extraction. If your dentist had to make a large incision to remove an impacted tooth, they may suture that incision. But if the tooth was just extracted normally, the dentist will generally leave the socket open. This allows it to drain better, which helps prevent infection as the tooth socket heals. Try not to move your tongue over the empty sockets too much. Leave them alone, other than rinsing them with salt water as directed by your dentist.

You should now have a better understanding of what happens when you have your wisdom teeth removed. However, every situation is a bit different. If you have more precise questions about your exact procedure, reach out to your dentist or dental surgeon. They can guide you through this important preventative care procedure.

Contact a local oral surgeon to learn more.