While one of the primary objectives of the dental profession is the prevention of tooth loss, it is sometimes necessary to remove one or more troubled teeth to preserve the health of the rest of the mouth. Wisdom tooth extractions are incredibly common procedures, but it’s perfectly understandable that many patients will be anxious about the idea of having teeth removed. Here’s a brief guide to why wisdom tooth removal may be necessary and a few of the benefits the procedure can provide.
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
The wisdom teeth are the third set of molars that typically begins to emerge in a person’s late teens or early twenties. While these teeth served to help primitive humans grind their coarse diets of raw plant and animal matter into easily digestible pulps, modern jawbones are often too small to accommodate them. The emerging wisdom teeth can cause a wide host of oral health problems if the mouth does not have room for them, so removing them is often the best option.
Why Would I Need to Have My Wisdom Teeth Removed?
The wisdom teeth may need to be removed to prevent issues like:
- Dental misalignments: The emerging wisdom teeth can force the other teeth out of alignment, resulting in crowding that makes the smile harder to clean, easier to injure, and more prone to infections. This can be especially frustrating for those who put significant effort into orthodontic treatments during their teen years.
- Chronic pain: The pressure caused by the emerging wisdom teeth can cause a constant ache. Removing the wisdom teeth may be the best way to restore comfort to a troubled mouth.
- Infections: Wisdom teeth that fail to emerge properly become impacted, and they can provide shelter to harmful bacterial colonies within the soft tissues. This can lead to gum disease and bone erosion that can compromise your oral health.
How Are Wisdom Teeth Removed?
The process of removing wisdom teeth begins with your dentist administering an appropriate anesthetic to ensure that you feel no pain, and you may receive sedation treatment if necessary. Once you are comfortable, your provider will use a device called an elevator to lift the teeth from the gums before using forceps to gently work them loose from their connective tissue. If you need a surgical extraction, the process will also involve incisions in the gum tissue so the third molars can be accessed.
After the teeth are removed, your dentist will close the surgical wounds and you will receive detailed aftercare instructions to help ensure a comfortable and complication-free recovery. Once you have healed properly, you will be all set to enjoy many years without the chronic pain or other oral health problems that come with problematic wisdom teeth.
About the Practice
Frandsen Dental of Orem offers the best comprehensive oral healthcare in town. Led by Drs. Brian Frandsen and Dan Dansie, the staff treats each patient with sincere compassion and the utmost courtesy while maintaining a clean and friendly office. Areas of expertise include general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry as well as wisdom tooth extraction services. If your wisdom teeth are giving you trouble, contact the practice online or dial (801) 224-7900.