Wisdom tooth extraction is a fairly common procedure. Wisdom teeth often cause problems as they are trying to erupt through the gums. When a wisdom tooth is impacted, it means the tooth is stuck in position, often coming in at an angle and not straight through the gums. This can cause pain, swelling and/or infection.
When a wisdom tooth only emerges partially, this can make the tooth hard to clean, and pieces of food may be caught under the skin and around the tooth. This makes it easy for infection to develop; It may go away on its own for a period of time, but it also may recur and cause pain and swelling in the area.
Impacted teeth and wisdom teeth that cause problems need to be removed. Extractions can range from a single tooth to removing all four wisdom teeth at once. Based on the preference of the doctor and/or the patient, a local anesthetic could be used to numb the areas where the teeth will be extracted. Others will prefer to go under a general anesthetic so that they will be sedated during the procedure.