WISDOM TEETH ARE TYPES OF MOLARS FOUND IN THE VERY BACK OF THE MOUTH.
They usually appear in late teens or early twenties, but may become impacted due to lack of room in the jaw or angle of entry. When a wisdom tooth is impacted, it may need to be removed. If it is not removed, you may develop gum tenderness, swelling, or severe pain. Impacted wisdom teeth that are partially or fully erupted tend to be difficult to clean and are susceptible to tooth decay, recurring infections, or even gum disease.
WISDOM TEETH ARE TYPICALLY REMOVED IN THE LATE TEENS OR EARLY TWENTIES...
because there is a greater chance that the teeth’s roots have not fully formed and the bone surrounding the teeth is less dense. These two factors can make extraction easier as well as shorten the recovery time.
In order to remove a wisdom tooth, your dentist first needs to numb the area around the tooth with a local anesthetic. Our office offers nitrous oxide and oral sedation to make your visit as comfortable as possible. Since the impacted tooth may still be under the gums and embedded in your jaw bone, your dentist will need to remove a portion of the covering bone to extract the tooth. In order to minimize the amount of bone that is removed with the tooth, your dentist will often “section” your wisdom tooth so that each piece can be removed through a small opening in the bone. Once your wisdom teeth have been extracted, the healing process begins. Depending on the degree of difficulty related to the extraction, healing time varies. Your dentist will share with you what to expect and provide instructions for a comfortable, efficient healing process.
IS REMOVING WISDOM TEETH NECESSARY
There is not enough room in our mouths for wisdom teeth. Without enough room for them to erupt properly, wisdom teeth may come in at an angle. Sometimes they don't fully emerge. This causes problems to occur for the rest of your mouth. They can cause damage to the nearby teeth, also known as second molars. Removing wisdom teeth during your teen years or early twenties make it easier to remove them and prevents one from needing a more complicated surgery later in life.
WHY DON'T WE HAVE ROOM FOR WISDOM TEETH?
Good question! The simple answer is that our jaws are smaller than they used to be. Modern diets tend to lack key nutrients that help the jaw develop properly. An example of this in Vitamin K2.
WILL I NEED TO REMOVE MY WISDOM TEETH?
We will evaluate your mouth carefully to determine if your wisdom teeth should be removed and why. We may recommend taking 3D cone beam xrays to view your jaw and teeth in a 3-dimensional pattern. Having this technology allows us to more precisely evaluate exactly where your nerves are and view the roots of your teeth in 3-dimension. This allows for a very safe and accurate plan to be developed to remove your wisdom teeth if needed and often can shorten healing time. At Carrie Muzny DDS & Associates, we also offer sedation dentistry services to ensure your visit is as comfortable as possible.
SCHEDULE YOUR WISDOM TEETH REMOVAL
If you are in The Woodlands, TX area, then give us a call to set up your wisdom teeth removal appointment. Our dentist will examine the structure our your mouth and decide if or when you should get your wisdom teeth removed. If you need directions to our office then visit our contact page for more info.