Wisdom Teeth Removal

Your wisdom teeth are often the last of your teeth to come in, and they can be incredibly disruptive to your bite and oral function. Wisdom teeth generally do not surface until you are between 17 and 21 years old. Because all of your other, permanent teeth are grown in at this point, wisdom teeth don’t have the room or space to come in properly. This can lead to painful complications.

When your wisdom teeth push through your already crowded mouth, they can become infected and impacted. To determine if your wisdom teeth are coming in and if they need to be removed, we will observe your jaw and take X-rays.

For wisdom teeth removal, we will give you anesthesia and numb the area of the tooth. After the teeth have been extracted, you may have some pain and swelling around your face. This should go away in a few days, but if it does not, it is important to contact us.

After the wisdom teeth removal procedure, you should be aware of signs of infections and complications, such as a dry socket. When the tooth is removed, a blood clot will naturally form to stop the bleeding from the area. A dry socket is when this blood clot breaks down and the bone and nerve of the tooth are left exposed. This is can be very painful and require immediate medical attention. We will clean out the socket and prescribe medication to ensure that no infections form in the area.

While wisdom teeth may be harmless in some people, it is important to come to see us and determine whether or not your wisdom teeth are going to be a problem for your mouth. If left untreated, wisdom teeth can lead to a variety of complications. If you have not had your wisdom teeth looked at or if you believe they are starting to grow in, come see us about extraction options.