What do you know about wisdom teeth? Also referred to as third molars, these could potentially pose a serious risk for teens and young adults. In today’s blog, we’re going to answer common questions about these additional molars, and why you should see your El Paso, TX, dentists to discuss a comfortable dental extraction!
Frequently Asked Questions About Wisdom Teeth
Question: When do they arrive?
Answer: They typically arrive when a person reaches his or her late teens or early 20s. While our smiles comfortably hold 28 teeth, the addition of these teeth pushes the number to 32, leading to serious problems. In order to avoid the complications we’ll discuss in this blog, we often recommend removing the teeth completely prior to eruption.
Question: What is an impaction?
Answer: Impaction refers to a wisdom tooth only partially erupting, or erupting incorrectly due to lack of room in the mouth. When this happens, patients may experience serious discomfort, as well as damaged teeth, fever, and misalignment. In order to preserve the alignment of your smile and prevent oral health complications, the teeth will need to be removed, preferably before they arrive and become impacted.
Question: Will removing them help?
Answer: Yes! We will administer a local anesthetic to numb the area, and may also prescribe IV sedation, which allows people to enter a calm and relaxed state, with little to no memory of the procedure. We then open the area above the teeth and gently remove them with forceps. We suture the area closed afterward. You will need a friend or family member to bring you home, as the sedation will take time to wear off. Our team provides detailed aftercare instructions for eating, brushing, and flossing in the hours and days to come. During follow-up visits, we will monitor the healing process and remove the sutures.
Question: What if you remove a tooth that’s not a third molar?
Answer: If we need to remove a tooth to facilitate orthodontic treatment, address a severe infection, or take out a tooth that has become seriously damaged or decayed, then we will discuss options for filling the gap in your smile. Obviously, wisdom teeth don’t require replacement, but losing teeth to other issues will leave behind an embarrassing gap, so we may discuss dental bridges, dental implants, or partial dentures. If you have any questions about removing wisdom teeth, or about our sedation or tooth replacement options, then please contact our team today.
SUNNY SMILES IN EL PASO OFFERS ORAL SURGERY
Our Sunny Smiles team can help you enjoy optimal oral health by extracting your third molars. To learn more about oral surgery and IV sedation, then please call our East El Paso location on N. Zaragoza Road at 915-849-9000!