You’ve finally started your journey to a straighter smile (or maybe you have been on it for a while) but suddenly there’s a twist – your wisdom teeth need to be removed. Dealing with a major dental procedure while aligning your teeth can be intimidating. You might even find yourself overwhelmed with questions about timing, recovery, and how one treatment might affect the other.
Fortunately, you don’t have to answer these questions on your own. Your dentist and orthodontist can help you navigate the challenges you’re facing and answer any questions you may have.
Will having my wisdom teeth removed impact Invisalign treatment?
The healing process after wisdom teeth extraction can sometimes lead to complications that may impact your Invisalign treatment, including:
Dry sockets:1 This condition occurs when a blood clot fails to form or it gets dislodged after wisdom teeth removal, delaying healing. It usually happens 3-4 days after extraction and causes pain, ranging from dull to significant. Treatment involves placing medicated dressings in the socket to aid healing.
Tingling (paresthesia):1 This is a rare side effect where numbness or tingling occurs in the tongue, lip, or chin after wisdom teeth removal. It happens when nerves near the extracted tooth are bruised or damaged during extraction, which can last a few days to months.
Healing time:1After wisdom tooth removal, it can take months for the area to fully heal. During this time, wearing aligners for the recommended 22 hours a day may be uncomfortable or impractical.
Stitch removal:1 If non-dissolving stitches are used during the procedure, they may need to be removed later. This may also temporarily interfere with wearing your aligners as directed.
If your wisdom teeth cause problems while you’re wearing Invisalign aligners, your orthodontist might need to adjust your treatment plan to help keep things on track. Sometimes this means pausing active tooth movement and having you wear your previous aligners or special “passive” ones that hold your teeth in place while the extraction area heals. Invisalign’s ClinCheck software lets orthodontists update and change your plan as needed so you can keep moving toward your desired results.2
Research shows that having teeth removed, like wisdom teeth, makes it more likely that you’ll need to update your Invisalign treatment partway through. In a study of more than 300 Invisalign patients, those who had teeth extracted during treatment were more likely to need a mid-course correction compared to those who didn’t.3
