When you reach adulthood, up to four new molars could erupt in the rear of your mouth. Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, could lead to serious complications for your oral health. But your Santa Rosa, CA, oral and maxillofacial surgeons can help prevent these issues by removing your wisdom teeth.
The Onset of Wisdom Tooth Impaction
As we approach our late teens and early 20s, these additional molars can arrive in the rear of the mouth. In some cases only a few erupt, while for others all four could arrive in a short period. Since there is no room for them, this means they could only partially erupt, causing a painful impaction. In addition, their arrival could upset bite balance and cause issues like TMJ disorder and bruxism. They could damage nearby teeth and increase the risk of infection too. The misalignment that may occur could also change the appearance of your smile, and increase the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. As you can see, they cause a host of problems, which is why we want to remove them before they even arrive!
Planning Your Tooth Removal
If you or your teen are facing the potential eruption of your wisdom tooth, then your general dentist may refer you to our office. Our team will take detailed digital x-rays and CBCT imager of the smile so we can identify the positions of these teeth, and plan treatment that gently removes them and avoids contact with blood vessels, nerve tissues, and sinus cavities.
We will ensure you’re comfortable throughout the procedure with a local anesthetic administered to the area being treated. We can also choose a sedation option that is safe for you, so you enter a calm and relaxed state with little to no memory of the procedure at all.
Tooth Extraction
Once you’re ready, we will open the gums above the teeth and then gently loosen and remove the teeth with a pair of forceps. The entire procedure could take as little as 30 minutes in some cases. You then have a friend or family member on hand to take you home, along with our detailed aftercare instructions and prescriptions for necessary medications. You need to rest for a day or two and we can remove any sutures in a follow-up visit. Be sure you avoid straws, eat soft foods, and be gentle when you brush or floss!
If you have any questions about how we protect the health and stability of your smile with a tooth extraction, or about your wisdom tooth risk in particular, then contact our team today.
Learn More About Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA
Our team wants to help you avoid the dangers of the eruption of your third molars! To learn more about how we prevent wisdom tooth complications, give us a call at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery at (707)545-4625 today!
