As you enter your teens and early twenties, you may wonder if you should remove your wisdom teeth. This common procedure is seen as a rite of passage by some, but for most, it is vital to protecting your smile from crowding teeth. When you visit your dentist regularly during this period, we can track the arrival of your third molars to determine if we should extract them. We will suggest doing so when your jaw does not have enough room for them to comfortably fit or if they appear at odd angles.
At Sunny Smiles, we want to care for your oral health during each stage of life. This means monitoring your third molars during adolescence to prevent painful eruptions when an extraction is necessary. By learning more about this process, you can decide if you need to remove them soon. If you have any questions, feel free to ask us about this preventive measure.
When Third Molars Cause Misalignment
As you grow from childhood through adolescence, you may expect up to four additional molars after your initial set of adult teeth come in. While some people do not receive any of these teeth, some receive them without room to accommodate them. When this happens, their eruption can be very painful as a process called impaction occurs. As your teeth burst into one another, your smile comes out of alignment, and the enamel can break and chip. Without treatment, this can increase your likelihood of cavities, gum disease, and other oral threats. By removing your wisdom teeth before this happens, you can avoid the pain of crowding and impaction.
Preparing For Treatment
To track your third molars, we will create a set of digital X-rays that can see your teeth below the gumline. This allows us to track their position and determine if they are a threat to your existing teeth. By taking advantage of advancements in imaging technology, we can do so with far less radiation than methods in the past. To prevent pain during the procedure, we will administer sedation and anesthetic to comfort you before pulling the teeth.
Removing Your Teeth
Using special tools, we will access your third molars and pull them from the socket. To aid your healing process, we pack and suture the gums. You may be surprised at how quickly the procedure is over. We advise bringing a friend or family member to drive you home, as your sedation will affect your ability to responsibly operate a car. Over the following days, eat a soft diet to heal safely.
SPEAK WITH YOUR DENTIST AT SUNNY SMILES ABOUT EXTRACTING THIRD MOLARS
To protect your smile in adolescence, speak to your dentist about tracking your third molars. To find out more about how we can safely and gently remove these teeth, please contact our Sunny Smiles location on N Zaragoza Rd in El Paso, TX at (915) 849-9000.