Search for wisdom teeth removal in almost any city and you’ll find offices advertising how quick the procedure will be. “Fast and easy!” “Over before you know it!” It sounds reassuring — but it’s actually the wrong thing to optimize for.
Speed and gentleness do not go together.
A wisdom tooth is surrounded by bone and soft tissue. To remove it, the dentist needs to navigate that anatomy carefully. The fast approach removes more bone. It causes more trauma to the surrounding gum tissue. It creates the conditions for exactly the complications you’re trying to avoid:
Truly gentle wisdom tooth removal takes the time to minimize bone removal and tissue disruption. When done this way, dry socket becomes nearly an afterthought. Swelling, when it occurs, is minor and short-lived.
The sedation makes you unaware of the procedure either way — so the speed of the procedure is entirely for the dentist’s convenience, not yours.
When you come in for wisdom tooth removal here, here’s what the experience looks like:
During: You’ll be under IV sedation, so the procedure will feel like it never happened. Most patients describe their experience as sleep — they wake up and wonder if we’ve started yet. Some remember faint sounds or conversation, the way you might partially-remember a dream.
Immediately after: You’ll be a little sleepy and still numb for a few hours. You’ll need someone to drive you home. We send you with cold packs and a prescription for pain control, and we give you our direct line — you can reach us 24/7 with any concerns.
Recovery: Most patients need one day of real rest. Swelling, when it happens, is typically minor and peaks around day 2–3. You’ll have disolvable a stitch or two that are usually gone 7–10 days later, or earlier. You can eat normally once the numbness wears off. We always follow up the next day to check up on you.
Some patients are more nervous about the IV than the actual procedure. That’s completely understandable — but it may reassure you to know this is one of the most common concerns we hear, and we’ve become quite good at addressing it.
Dr. Boren has several techniques for making IV placement painless in most cases, and the whole thing takes seconds. Once it’s in, you won’t be aware of it at all.
If you’re evaluating your options for wisdom tooth removal, look for offices that talk about gentleness — not speed. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding: ask how their patients feel the week after the procedure. Ask about their dry socket rates.
The way we see it, our job isn’t finished when the tooth is out. It’s finished when you’ve healed comfortably and felt well cared for. That’s what we aim for.
Call us at (435) 674-9476 if you’d like to schedule a complimentary consultation.
