Wisdom teeth, also known as your third molars, are at the back of your mouth on either side. While they do not always require removal, it is important to get a check-up and ask your dentist about wisdom teeth removal around your 15th birthday or if you are experiencing pain. As industry leaders, the Oral and Facial Surgeons of Arizona routinely perform wisdom teeth extractions with outstanding results.
Reasons to Remove Wisdom Teeth
A wisdom tooth can push your teeth in various directions, causing your alignment and bite to shift. The pressure rubs against adjacent teeth and can cause extensive damage to the surrounding roots, resulting in an erosive cavity. Reasons to consider wisdom teeth removal include:
- Sharp, constant gum pain
- Erupting at the wrong angle
- The presence of gum disease
- Impacted or partially erupted
- Pressing against neighboring teeth
- Mouth is too small for a third set of molars
We will discuss with you the position and health of your third molars to plan the best treatment options for you because we believe in providing the highest level of care.
Procedural Differences
Before your procedure, we will make a determination about the level of difficulty we foresee with your particular situation. The extraction procedure will depend on the alignment of the tooth and how far, if at all, it has pierced through the gum line. The two types of procedures include:
- Partially erupted. Wisdom teeth that have penetrated through the gums are easier to extract than impacted third molars. The procedure is similar to a standard molar extraction.
- Impacted. With impacted third molars, we will need to gain access to the tooth surgically. The process involves creating a flap from the gum tissue to expose the bone. Then, bone tissue is cut away so that we can see the tooth and manipulate it out. We may need to section it to reduce the amount of bone removal, depending on the position of the tooth.
You will probably experience some swelling and minimal pain after either procedure, and it is likely that it will take a week or two for your mouth to heal completely.
Find Help in a Comforting Environment
If your wisdom teeth require removal, you can rely on the professionals at Oral and Facial Surgeons of Arizona. Call us today at 480-820-7400 to schedule a consultation. Our oral surgeons and team of experts are available to discuss procedural details and treatment options with you in a comfortable, welcoming, and relaxing atmosphere.