Wisdom teeth are a third set of molars that many of us have. These teeth usually appear in the late teens or early 20s. Most patients’ teeth become impacted (fail to erupt) due to lack of room in the jaw or poor angle of entry. Wisdom teeth typically need to be removed at some point in a person’s life when they become symptomatic. Wisdom teeth are easier for surgeons to remove when a patient is younger with soft bone, versus older with dense bone. Bellingham dentistry recommends removing wisdom teeth when they are in a position that could cause damage to other teeth, causing pain, or in a position that makes proper cleaning difficult.

Wisdom teeth removal surgery can be performed under local anesthetic or IV sedation. IV sedation tends to be more comfortable for the patients and easier for the surgeon to work with as well. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause complications if not removed by the right specialist. Complications can be as severe as nerve damage, leaving the side of your jaw with tingles or numbness. To ensure that patients have the best possible treatment results, we refer most of our wisdom teeth removal patients to our trusted oral surgeon Dr. Daniel Choi. He has the experience and technical ability to easily remove wisdom teeth with excellent results.

Once your surgery is complete, you will be given post-operative instructions that are very important to follow. Taking your antibiotics as prescribed, will prevent any infections from occurring after your surgery. Complications after treatment are rare but can occur. Dry socket and bone spurs are the most common disruptions after treatment. A dry socket is when a blood clot does not form in the socket, leaving the nerve exposed. This type of complication can be very painful and is why it is important to not smoke or cause any suctioning motion of the mouth. Bone spurs are when the bone is healing, and small bone fragments are pushed out. This leaves a sharp bone spicule in the area. This type of complication doesn’t last long and will go away on its own with warm saltwater rinses. Following the post-operative instructions provided ensures that you have a smooth recovery.

While it may be unpleasant to think about getting wisdom teeth removed, it will improve the overall health of your mouth, now and in the future. It will make it much easier to keep all your teeth clean and reduce your chances of periodontal disease. If you need help deciding what to do with your wisdom teeth, come into Plano Texas and let our doctor help you today!