Have you ever heard of wisdom teeth, or third molars? These are the four additional teeth that will arrive as a person leaves the teen years and enters adulthood. For many, the arrival of these teeth could mean serious negative consequences for their oral health and their smile’s appearance. In order to protect the smile, your El Paso, TX, dentists may suggest removing the wisdom teeth before they erupt.
What Happens When They Arrive?
Over the years, our smiles have evolved to comfortably hold 28 teeth. However, once the third molars erupt, this pushes the number to 32. As a result, serious complications arise. For example, a partial eruption, known as an impaction, could lead to severe discomfort, infected teeth, or even damaged teeth. Even if they arrive completely without impaction, they could still have a negative impact on the alignment and appearance of your smile. In order to prevent these problems, we strive to remove the teeth prior to eruption.
Oral Surgery
To begin, we will carefully examine your smile using advanced technology. We will answer any questions you may have and address your concerns, walking you through the process and explaining what to expect. We will administer a local anesthetic to numb the area around the extraction site. Our team may also prescribe sedation to help you enter a calm and relaxed state and avoid serious discomfort. We then open the gums above the location of the third molars, using forceps to gently remove the teeth in question. We then suture the area closed. A friend or family member can bring you home and will schedule follow-up visits to monitor your smile and eventually remove the sutures. Our team can also discuss eating and brushing/flossing in the hours and days to come as the area begins to heal.
Extraction to Address Other Concerns
Along with removing wisdom teeth, we may use extraction to address other oral health concerns. For example, removing a tooth may provide enough room to reposition crooked or crowded teeth, correcting misalignment. If a tooth is severely infected, extraction could prevent infection from spreading to surrounding teeth. We also take out a broken tooth, or one loosened as a result of gum disease. In these situations, we can discuss tooth replacement options to fill the exposed gap in your smile, such as dental bridges or implant dentistry. If you have any questions about extraction, then please contact our team today!
TALK TO SUNNY SMILES IN EL PASO ABOUT WISDOM TEETH
At Sunny Smiles in El Paso, TX, our team can help safeguard your smile by removing your wisdom teeth. If you have questions about the extraction process, or if you want to set up an appointment, you can reach our East El Paso dental practice on 10039 Dyer St., at 915-859-7000!