Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt within the mouth. When they align properly and gum tissue is healthy, wisdom teeth removal may not be necessary. Unfortunately, this does not generally happen. Wisdom teeth can grow sideways, partially emerge from the gum and even remain trapped beneath the gum and bone. Impacted wisdom teeth can take many positions in the bone as they attempt to find a pathway that will allow them to successfully erupt.
Impacted wisdom teeth can cause many problems. When they partially erupt, the opening around the teeth allows bacteria to grow and will eventually cause an infection. The result includes swelling, stiffness, pain, and illness. The pressure from the erupting wisdom teeth may move other teeth and disrupt the orthodontic or natural alignment of teeth. The most serious problem occurs when cysts or tumors form around the impacted wisdom teeth, resulting in the destruction of the jawbone and healthy teeth. Removal of the impacted wisdom teeth usually resolves or eliminates the possibility of these problems. Early removal is recommended to avoid problems and decrease surgical risk.
In most cases, wisdom teeth removal is performed under general anesthesia because of the complexity of the surgery. The surgical risks will be discussed with you before the procedure is performed. You can watch a video about your procedure here.
Once the removal is complete, the gum is sutured as necessary. To help control bleeding, bite down on the gauze placed in your mouth. You will recover from the anesthesia under our supervision in the office until you are ready to be taken home. Upon discharge, you will receive postoperative instructions and a follow-up appointment in one week. The required prescriptions will either be called into the pharmacy you requested or given to you in written form. If you have any questions about wisdom tooth removal, please do not hesitate to call us at the number on your discharge instructions.
Our impacted wisdom tooth removal services are provided in an environment of optimum safety that utilizes modern monitoring equipment and staff who are experienced in anesthesia techniques.