Do you think of wisdom tooth removal as something that "always means swelling and pain"?
What actually causes swelling and pain after an extraction is "inflammation." So keeping "inflammation" under control helps reduce swelling and pain after surgery.
Preventing inflammation before surgery
Many people have a wisdom tooth removed because it has started to hurt. But if it hurts, inflammation has already set in, so ideally we recommend removing the tooth after the pain has calmed down. We recommend cleaning around the wisdom tooth and easing the pain with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication before the extraction.
Preventing inflammation during surgery
This is where we dentists get to show our skill. The most important thing is to finish the extraction in a short time. The longer it takes, the more likely inflammation is after surgery, so we follow the proper steps and remove the tooth quickly. It puts a dentist's knowledge, experience and sense to the test.
An extraction leaves a hole, and it heals as blood collects there and clots. If the blood doesn't clot, or the clot forms but comes out, it causes pain and swelling. When needed, we place stitches or a hemostatic agent.
Preventing inflammation after surgery
After surgery, the most important thing is simply to rest. Exercise, taking a bath, drinking alcohol and similar activities increase blood circulation and can cause bleeding and inflammation. On the other hand, be careful with cooling with ice too, because it reduces circulation and interferes with healing. Cooling with a towel dampened with water is recommended.
If you are going to have a wisdom tooth removed, please keep all of this in mind and do what you can to prevent inflammation.
Finally, here's how to tell whether a dentist is good at extractions.
The standard approach is to look up
・the clinic's reviews
・the dentist's background (often listed on the clinic's website)
These days, it might also be worth asking AI.
My personal recommendation is to ask the clinic's staff, "Is the dentist good at extractions?"
After all, the people who watch the dentist's work every day should know best (haha)