Wisdom Teeth: What are they and why do I need to have them removed?

Teenager preparing to have wisdom teeth extracted

Megan is ready for her wisdom teeth extractions.

How do you know if you need to have your wisdom teeth removed? Wisdom tooth extraction is an in-office procedure that is performed to remove one or more wisdom teeth. Your wisdom teeth are the four permanent teeth located at the back corners of your mouth. They typically emerge in your late teens or early twenties. These teeth have little or no purpose in chewing and can become problematic. Click https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/wisdom-teeth to hear our friend, Dr. Sahota explain more about the problems wisdom teeth can cause. Dr. Matt removes wisdom teeth when they do not have enough room to grow, which can cause pain, infection, or other dental problems. Even if your wisdom teeth are not currently problematic, he may recommend their extraction to prevent crowding, damage to other teeth, or pain in the future. These potential problems can be reasonably predicted with x-rays. They can grow at an angle toward the tooth next to it. They can also grow at a right angle, almost lying down next to the adjacent tooth. Both of these types of growth can cause pain, infection, tooth decay, damage to the nearby tooth, or development of a cyst around the wisdom tooth. They especially can cause complications while attempting orthodontic treatment to straighten other teeth. Teenagers and younger adults seldom experience complications with wisdom teeth extractions. However, as you age, the difficulties of the procedure and the complications afterwards can increase. Once it is determined that you need to have your wisdom teeth removed, the sooner the procedure is performed, the less complicated both the procedure and your recovery become.

Conscious sedation during wisdom teeth removal:

Dr. Matt uses this type of sedation so that you can remain conscious during the procedure and can communicate with him and your dental assistant and are able to give them feedback about how you feel. It is important to be able to communicate with your dentist or oral surgeon prior to the procedure. Dr. Matt allots ample time on his schedule to allow for an at length conversation to discuss any fears or concerns you may have and to determine the exact regimen of medication that will work best for you before (if necessary), during, and after the procedure.

If you think you may need to have your wisdom teeth removed, schedule a consultation with Dr. Matt to discuss all of your options and to work with him to decide which option would be the best for you and why.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, give us a call today or click the link below:

https://drmatthewrandall.com/make-appointment/

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