Wisdom Teeth Extraction Complications

Wisdom teeth, also called third-year molars, are usually removed during the teen years because most jawbones are too small to accommodate these teeth. Complications from wisdom teeth extraction are not common, but can occur.

• Sutures in the wisdom teeth extraction site.

Dry Socket

• Pain is normal for a few days after wisdom teeth extraction; call your dentist if your pain starts to get worse when it had been feeling better. You may have a dry socket, which is the most common complication. When you have a wisdom tooth removed, the opening fills with a blood clot, similar to a scab on a wound, that covers the opening. If the blood clot is dislodged inadvertently, this is called a dry socket, and it can cause a painful infection. Your dentist can give you antibiotics and instructions to help it heal faster.

Jawbone Fracture

• The removal of bottom wisdom teeth can weaken the jaw if the roots were very deep and the dentist had to remove an unusually large piece of bone during the extraction. Very rarely, a jawbone fracture can occur.

Nerve Damage

• Numbness and tingling in the teeth, chin, lower lip or tongue can occur due to lingual nerve damage. This condition is usually temporary; in most cases, the nerve will repair itself and sensitivity will return in a few months.

Tooth Damage

• In rare cases, your dentist may chip or damage a nearby tooth or its root during extraction. You may need a tooth filling, root canal or dental cap to repair it.

Osteomylitis

• In rare cases, you may develop a serious complication called Osteomylitis. Osteomylitis is caused when the bacteria known as staphylococcus aureus gets into the jawbone. You may be treated with months of antibiotics or surgery to remove the infection.

Sinus Perforation

• If the wisdom teeth were up high near the sinus cavity, there is a small chance the extraction can perforate the sinus cavity. If the perforation does not heal on its own, your oral surgeon can do surgery to cover the opening with gum tissue.