09 Feb Do all patients need to have their wisdom teeth extracted?
Having wisdom teeth removed is a very common oral surgery procedure. While some patients can retain their wisdom teeth without complications, our oral surgeons normally recommend their removal because most of the time, wisdom tooth retention leads to oral health problems including orthodontic issues, infections, gum disease, and tooth decay. While a tooth extraction is a surgical procedure, it is not overly invasive and our team takes the necessary measures to ensure patient comfort.
Why are wisdom teeth a problem for oral health?
Wisdom teeth (also called third molars) erupt years after other adult teeth come through the gums. Since these teeth emerge later, they tend to crowd existing teeth. A lack of room for wisdom teeth to erupt means that these teeth become stuck in the gums and may only partially erupt. Since there is not adequate space, patients may develop orthodontic problems including malocclusions along with crooked, crowded, and overlapped teeth.
If a tooth doesn’t emerge properly, the gums and teeth are vulnerable to disease and infection. The third molar eruption site is incredibly prone to becoming abscessed or developing periodontal disease. Food and bacteria become trapped in the space between the gums and the partially erupted crown. This makes the tooth itself at high risk for decay.
When is a tooth extraction recommended?
If a patient has wisdom teeth coming in, our oral surgeons will normally recommend a tooth extraction as a preventive measure. In other cases, oral surgery may be necessary to removed diseased and damaged teeth that are beyond repair.
When removing teeth, our team administers pain-relieving anesthetics and sedatives, if necessary, to produce a positive and comfortable patient experience. After problematic teeth are removed, patients enjoy restored oral function and improved quality of life.
If you have been referred to our oral and maxillofacial surgery practice by your dentist, call our office to reserve a consultation with our caring and experienced team. Contact any of our convenient locations today to schedule your appointment.