How to Help Your Child Prepare for Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Wisdom teeth are the last permanent teeth to appear in your child’s mouth, and they’re often removed by dentists early. 

Dental practitioners recommend the removal of wisdom teeth in some cases because these teeth can grow crookedly and damage other teeth, making it harder to maintain proper oral hygiene. 

However, wisdom teeth are more difficult to remove because of their positioning and when they are impacted in the jaw bones. This can make children even more fearful and confused about what’s going to happen at the dentist’s office. 

At Le Dentistry & Associates in Norcross, Georgia, Phuong Le, DMD, Uyen Hoang, DMD, and our team of providers have many years of experience working with children, and they’ve put together a short guide on how to prepare your child for wisdom tooth extraction.

Explain how the procedure works 

Your child will probably have some questions about what wisdom tooth extraction entails. The more answers you give them, the less anxiety they’ll experience. 

During the procedure, our team at Le Dentistry & Associates makes a small incision into your child’s gums to uncover the wisdom tooth and its roots. After they uncover the tooth and extract it, they'll make a few sutures to sew the gum tissue back together. 

Keep in mind that the entire procedure is done under anesthesia, so your child can feel some pressure, but won’t feel any pain or discomfort.

Ask a relative to share their experience

Sometimes, you need some extra help to convince your child that wisdom tooth removal is completely safe and painless.

Ask a family friend or a relative your child trusts to share their experience with the procedure. This may increase your child’s confidence that everything will turn out all right.

Prepare a reward after the procedure 

Your child will probably be anxious the night before the procedure, so why not give them something to look forward to?

Make your child’s day brighter by promising a reward after the procedure. It could be tickets to a movie, a new video game, or any activity that your child loves and that won’t impact their recovery.

Learn more about how to combat anxiety about the dentist 

The removal of wisdom teeth is not painful in itself, although there might be some pain after the procedure. The real struggle comes from the fear of the unknown that your child may experience before their wisdom tooth extraction. 

At Le Dentistry & Associates, we can use medications to lower anxiety levels and help your child feel comfortable throughout the procedure. We also have several anesthesia options to choose from. 

Don’t hesitate to call 678-252-9881 with your questions or to book an appointment online at Le Dentistry & Associates.