When we reach the late teens and early 20s, up to four new molars could erupt in the rear of the teeth. Without treatment, this could lead to painful impaction and cause negative changes to the smile. In today’s blog, your Cerritos, CA, dentist talks about protecting your smile with wisdom tooth extraction.
The Risk of an Impacted Tooth
In the rear of our mouth sits up to four new molars, which can erupt in the upper and lower portions of our smile. At one time these were essential, but nowadays there is no room for them and their arrival causes serious problems. These third molars tend to erupt in our late teens and early 20s, so we typically want to see teens soon to graduate high school to remove them. Otherwise, when they erupt, they only partially do so, which causes a painful impaction. The arrival of these teeth could also cause damaged teeth, misalignment, infection, and other negative changes to the health, function, and appearance of your smile. If your teen completed orthodontic treatment, this could undo the results too! But we can help by removing these teeth completely.
Planning for Tooth Extraction
Our team will plan your wisdom tooth removal in detail. We will take digital x-rays of the smile to peer under the guys and assess the exact position of the teeth, so we can make sure we avoid any contact with nerve tissues, blood vessels, or sinus cavities. Our team will also numb the area directly with a local anesthesia, and can offer sedation as well, so you will be calm and comfortable throughout the process, even if you have anxiety and special needs that could, otherwise complicate your ability to undergo dental treatment and oral surgery.
Taking Out Your Wisdom Teeth
Once you are sedated and comfortable, we will then gently open the gums above the teeth so that we can assess and extract them with a pair of forceps. We then suture the area closed, and a friend or family member can take you home. We will see you in a follow-up visit to remove sutures and make sure the area is healing properly. Our team will also provide detailed aftercare instructions and prescriptions for medications to ensure the area can heal properly and you can avoid unnecessary discomfort.
If you have any questions about how we handle your tooth extraction, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help protect the health, function, and beauty of your smile with oral surgery!
TALK TO OUR TEAM ABOUT TOOTH EXTRACTION
To schedule a consultation and prevent wisdom tooth impaction, make an appointment with Cerritos Dental Surgery in California call 562-584-4082 today.
