Wisdom Teeth Extractions
in Santa Maria
Wisdom Teeth Extractions
At a certain time in your life, you may need a wisdom tooth extraction. It is exceptional for a person to have adequate space to accommodate all of their wisdom teeth, consequently they usually grow in impacted. This can be painful because it pushes your other teeth forward, allowing food to become stuck; it can also heighten your chance of infection and tooth decay. This is why we regularly advise our patients to have their wisdom teeth extracted. When you schedule an appointment with Everly Smiles, we will evaluate you, take X-rays, and advise you on whether or not you should have an extraction procedure.
Dr. Jerry Yu removes wisdom teeth and preserves sockets within our dentist office in Santa Maria. He is well-known for his approach to wisdom tooth removal, and he works hard to ensure that each patient recovers quickly.
The wisdom teeth are the molars farthest back in the jaw and typically erupt from the gums between the ages 17 and 25. Though these teeth can emerge properly, they more often than not cause complications. In many cases, the best solution is to simply remove them. Some of the most common reasons for wisdom teeth removal include:
Crowding
Often, patients do not have enough room in their jaw to support an extra set of molars.
Overcrowding cannot only affect the appearance of your smile but the alignment of your bite. In addition, overcrowded teeth are more difficult to clean and can harbor bacteria.
Impacted teeth
An impacted tooth cannot erupt through the gum line due to blockage by other teeth. This can result in pain and infection if bacteria become trapped beneath the gums.
Eruption at the wrong angle
If a wisdom tooth does not come straight up out of the gums, it can push neighboring teeth out of alignment and damage their structural integrity.
Infection
If a wisdom tooth or the surrounding gum tissue is infected, it can cause long-term damage to nearby teeth or even bone tissue. Infection can easily spread from one area of your smile to another and require extensive restorative treatment.
Your doctor can thoroughly examine your smile to determine whether you would benefit from wisdom teeth removal.
Impacted wisdom tooth
An impacted wisdom tooth can damage adjacent healthy teeth.
While some patients choose to wait to address wisdom teeth until later in life, it is often much safer to extract them early on. As you age, the dental roots supporting your teeth grow longer.
Extraction carries a greater risk of nerve damage when the roots are at their fullest, which
typically happens after the age of 24. In addition, adult patients can experience a longer postsurgical recovery period.
The wisdom tooth removal process will ultimately depend on the number of teeth being removed and the position of each tooth. Teeth that are not impacted can be easily extracted. This process involves slowly rocking the tooth back and forth and carefully removing it from the socket.
We offer sedation dentistry to put help you relax. Nitrous oxide, oral sedation, and intravenous (IV) medication are all suitable options.
An impacted tooth requires a more complex procedure. The dentist must make an incision in your gums and remove any soft or hard tissue that rests above the tooth. They can then remove the tooth as a whole or in smaller pieces to avoid impacting the surrounding area. Dr. Yu also performs socket preservation after wisdom tooth removal, which involves packing the socket with grafting material. This helps protect your jawbone from degeneration, which occurs naturally after wisdom tooth removal.