Information for Parents About Wisdom Teeth

Your teenage son or daughter may have recently complained of wisdom teeth pain in the back of their mouth that exacerbates periodically. Consequently, your dentist referred you to us because of impaction or orthodontic reasons, to have the wisdom teeth removed. Either way, wisdom teeth are known common sources of many problems, and their removal prevents localized disease and promotes long-term health. Here is some relevant information before you decide to proceed.

What to Expect:

There are usually four wisdom teeth, and often they are fully impacted during the teenage years. The position of the wisdom teeth does not change significantly in most people. Therefore, they often remain impacted. It is reasonable to have wisdom teeth removed any time after age 15. It is best to have all four wisdom teeth removed at the same time, which typically involves a 20-30 minute procedure. We highly recommend IV sedation. A follow-up and suture removal will be scheduled in one week if necessary. Lastly, your dentist or orthodontist can inform you when it is time to proceed.

Elisabeth and Joseph Mait
“Our daughter and our son were both treated by Dr. Kazemi and his staff and we were very impressed by the treatment the children got. The information, patience, cleanliness, friendliness, the time they took for us. We are very happy that we choose Dr. Kazemi and his team for the operation.”

Managing Anxiety:

The best way to manage your son’s or daughter’s anxiety and assure a wonderful experience for him or her is to use IV sedation for their procedure. It is the most recommended anesthesia option and preferred by patients when having their wisdom teeth removed. Dr. Kazemi is trained and licensed in administering office anesthesia. It is very safe due to continued monitoring techniques, the short acting nature of the medications, availability of emergency equipment, and, most importantly, the proper training of the surgeon and the staff. The other option is local anesthesia, with or without nitrous oxide sedation, during which the patient is completely awake and aware of the procedure; however local anesthesia is not recommended for wisdom teeth surgery.

Returning to School or Normal Activities:

Most patients return to school or some normal activities 1-2 days after surgery. Most schedule their surgery on a Friday and are ready to go back to the classroom by Monday. There is no problem with traveling or flying the following day, although it’s best to rest for a day or two. Of course, there is always variations in overall response and recovery.

Medications for ADHD or ADD:

Anti-depressants or medications for ADHD or ADD are not uncommon in teens. These drugs do not create any problems with the surgery, anesthesia, or post-operative medications.