So you know you need to have your wisdom teeth removed? That may sound scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Wisdom teeth removal is quite standard for an oral surgeon, and can actually be an important step in restoring oral health, and often relieving oral pain. By going to an oral surgeon for the extraction, rather than a general dentist, you can increase the likelihood of an effective extraction, especially if your removal turns out to be complicated, as is often the case with lower molars.
What Does Extraction Entail?
Before beginning any extraction, the dentist will first do a through examination of your mouth, including any wisdom teeth and the surrounding tissue. X-rays may also be used to help determine the severity of the situation, and how to best go about removing the tooth or teeth.
During a general extraction, anesthesia will be used during the procedure, to keep you comfortable. Often this is a combination of local anesthetic than can be injected, and a calming medication such as nitrous oxide, commonly called laughing gas. The dentist or surgeon will then carefully remove gum tissue that is attached to the tooth, which allows the tooth to then be moved. This step helps break the fibers that run between the tooth and your jawbone, so that the tooth can then be removed, often using forceps.
Finally, the tooth socket will be cleaned, any sharp bone edges will be smoothed, and stitches will be used, if necessary.
In the case of fully erupted teeth, an extraction is often quite simple. Unfortunately bottom wisdom teeth, or lower molars, are far more likely to be partially erupted or to pose other problems, which may make more complicated oral surgery necessary.
During a surgical tooth extraction, the surgeon must make incisions in the mucosa adjacent to the tooth in order to expose the bone. The bone blocking the tooth is then drilled away, in order to expose the tooth. Finally, the tooth will likely need to be cut into pieces, so that each piece can be removed.
ABOUT YOUR SANTA ROSA, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:
Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).
