When a tooth is impacted, this means it is unable to erupt fully, and may not be visible at all. Unless treated, this could cause serious complications for your oral health, including painful issues such as infection. In today’s blog, your Santa Rosa , CA, oral surgeons explain how we approach the extraction or bracketing of an impacted tooth.
Wisdom Tooth Impaction and More
Impaction means the tooth is essentially trapped, stuck in place and unable to fully erupt as it should naturally. With wisdom teeth, up to four additional molars could erupt in our late teens and early 20s. For many people, there simply isn’t enough room for them, so they only partially erupt. For others, primary teeth could fail to fall out on time, or the roots could fail to dissolve. The permanent teeth could then be unable to erupt or could become impacted in place. An impacted tooth could lead to an array of complications, including infection, damaged teeth, painful aches and sensitivity, dental misalignment, and more. Which is why the health and beauty of your smile means we must either remove them, or bracket them to help erupt properly.
Planning Treatment
First, we need to gain a clear picture of your smile, and identify the position and severity of the tooth in question. To accomplish this, we take digital panoramic x-ray images and also complete an iCAT 3D scan of the smile. The images then allow us to make a diagnosis with accuracy and precision, and to also carefully plan the treatment process.
Extraction
We may recommend a number of different oral surgical procedures to address the issue. For some, an orthodontist may use braces to help reposition the teeth and enable proper eruption of the smile. An orthodontist and one of our oral surgeons may also work together to help. We lift the gum and bone on top of the tooth to expose it and enable it to be moved into proper position. An orthodontic bracket and chain will help anchor it in place until the tooth is in optimal position and the bone tissue reforms around it. For wisdom teeth, we will likely simply remove them completely from your smile. If you have any questions about these procedures, or about what is necessary to return your smile to full function, health, and beauty once more, then contact our team today. We want to help you enjoy optimal smiles in 2021!
Do You Have Questions About Oral Surgery?
Using oral surgery, our team of experts knows how to address serious issues, including impacted teeth. To learn more about how we transform the health and function of a smile, or to schedule a consultation, call Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.
