Category Archives: Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Does Anything Happen if I do not Have My Wisdom Teeth Removed?

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Your dental health means a great deal to us and when you take our advice the chances are that your smile will live longer and brighter. All too often, San Diego residents question the need for wisdom tooth extraction in young adults and while it is arguable that wisdom teeth may not give you problems in the present. However, wisdom teeth are an issue when they are misaligned or partially erupt to the surface of the gums. Not every patient may need their wisdom teeth removed, but they can develop moderate to severe health issues if extraction is not performed.

For patients who may not know what they are, wisdom teeth are the third molars located in the upper and lower teeth at the back of our mouths. These teeth are typically the last to develop and usually grow in an awkward position and do not serve a purpose for a fully functional set of teeth. A cosmetic dentist San Diego will analyze and review a patient’s jaw structure in order to prevent impacted teeth from emerging or causing issues from a firmly rooted jaw bone. We believe that it is better for our patients to undergo wisdom tooth extraction before the age of 25 in order to prevent the following issues:

Overcrowding

Many patients if not all patients have smaller mouths and jaws compared to previous generations, which do not allow enough room for a third molar to grow and rest properly. If the teeth do erupt on their own, overcrowding will occur and the patient’s teeth will begin to shift or overlap each other. Thus, wisdom teeth eruption will force continued orthodontic care to adjust the shift in teeth.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth

When wisdom teeth are impacted they are pretty much trapped below the gum line. Impacted wisdom teeth can be painful in patients and make them more prone to abscess and infection. Thus, the longer that impacted teeth remain in the gums is the higher potential of decay in healthy teeth.

Tooth Decay

It is possible for wisdom teeth to grow properly in place with the rest of a patient’s teeth, but the location they are in makes proper dental hygiene more difficult. The extra teeth can lead to significant growth of bacteria in the back of the teeth which will require extraction later in life. Full-grown wisdom teeth will require close monitoring since wisdom teeth are subject to decay.

What is A Wisdom Tooth Abscess?

As mentioned before, if a patient does not act and remove wisdom teeth, they are likely to develop what is known as an abscess. An abscess develops when bacteria in the mouth are able to access the tooth’s pulp and create an infection that spreads to the bone and throughout the body. Wisdom teeth themselves are particularly more susceptible to abscesses because it is far more difficult to keep the rearmost location of the jaw free of any bacteria. This makes all the more reason to consult with a cosmetic dentist in San Diego.

According to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, 90 percent of dental patients experience at least one impacted wisdom tooth, which should be extracted at an early age of adulthood. Wisdom tooth extraction by an oral surgeon, especially during teenage years is recommended because the roots in wisdom teeth are shorter and not solidified, which minimizes pain and discomfort. Additionally, younger dental patients will recover more quickly following the extraction procedure.

For the most trusted wisdom tooth extraction San Diego residents choose most often, schedule a consultation at East Lake Dentistry.

Three Things You Should Know About Wisdom Teeth Extraction

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Wisdom teeth extraction is a process that most people need to go through at some point in their lifetime. Wisdom teeth are the upper and lower third molars located at the very back of our mouths, which are the last to develop. Unfortunately, there are some patients who experience pain or discomfort due to misalignment or symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth. When a third molar is known as impacted, it ultimately means that the tooth will not grow out straight with the other teeth or it may half emerge.

Plenty of patients have heard their fair share of urban legends about the subject of wisdom teeth extraction and pass along this information without any professional background to prove their claim. If you or your child is going through the experience of wisdom teeth, there are at least three things you should know that will help you prepare for teeth removal.

Why is Wisdom Teeth Extraction Done?

It may seem like there is plenty of room for extra teeth to grow, but your oral surgeon or dentist may still recommend wisdom tooth extraction to keep from infection or shifting other teeth. Other reasons for removal include, gum pain, impaction, gum disease and decay of wisdom teeth. Improper eruption of wisdom teeth can also result in damage of the jawbone and development of a cyst which may later become infected.

When Can I Eat Again?

For the first 24 to 48 hours after wisdom teeth removal, only soft foods are recommended for consumption. It should not be a surprise to patients that use of a straw is not allowed for week minimum following oral surgery, as the suction of a straw can dislodge the blood clot around the wound and lead to prolonged bleeding and extend a patient’s healing time.

How Long is the Recovery Period?

After having wisdom teeth pulled, pain and swelling is likely to occur, which is why some oral surgeons recommend taking one to two days off from any activity until the gum lining heals after the initial phase. Your dentist or oral surgeon will recommend a prescription for pain relievers that relieve the pain. With respect to time, wisdom tooth extraction recovery may vary from one day to about a week of rest, but most patients can resume to normal activity after the first day of extraction. To keep the process simple and free of discomfort, we encourage applying ice packs to reduce pain and swelling, use only prescription medications, and clean the mouth with simple salt water.

Unfortunately, there is not a preventive procedure that can keep teens and adults from this oral surgery. Researchers recently discovered that there may be a possible form of prevention of wisdom tooth development in the lower jawbone. Results from an epidemiological study, published in the Journal of American Dental Association, suggests that injecting anesthesia in the gums of young children can stop tooth buds from growing in the lower wisdom teeth. Although it is hypothesized that this process can be a valid approach to prevent oral surgery, there must be further review before oral surgeons can declare this method safe for our youth.

If you want to learn more about wisdom tooth extraction in San Diego, schedule a consultation with our experienced cosmetic dentist at Eastlake Dentistry.

The difference between wisdom teeth extraction and other tooth extractions

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Many people still do not understand the difference between regular teeth and wisdom teeth. Normal teeth are the set of teeth that grow into place after losing baby teeth. Wisdom teeth are an extra set of molars that sometimes emerge at the very end of the row of teeth, both sides top and bottom. This extra set of four teeth need to be extracted to prevent problems that may develop. However, when it comes to extractions, the normal teeth do not need to be pulled out unless the teeth or tooth can no longer be saved with treatment.

Wisdom teeth removal and extraction is necessary for patients when their jaw and normal teeth are experiencing health issues. The extraction is even done to prevent issues from developing too. Problems that may occur with wisdom teeth, include misdirection growth, trapped germs and food dislodged in gums, infection and the jaw may not be large enough to support them. To treat or avoid these developments from occurring, Dr. Tin helps the patient understand the process and importance of wisdom teeth removal and extraction.

Normal tooth extractions resolve other issues that are disrupting a patient’s dental hygiene. Tooth extractions are necessary to treat decay that reached deep in the tooth, infection has damaged a large part of the tooth and the bone, or the existing teeth may not have enough room in the mouth. There are even patients that have more teeth growing in behind the already existing tooth, to avoid root damage or infection to the other teeth an extraction will be performed.

According to wisdom tooth extraction is done to remove teeth that cause pain or that may cause infection and dental problems. Impacted teeth may not reveal any signs of pain or danger to the patient, but there may be future infections or pain that take place beneath the gums and result into serious dental problems. Even if wisdom teeth emerge correctly without any disruption to the gums, they may be forcing their presence in line next to the other teeth and that can cause the teeth to shift. Shifting teeth will make the patient feel the need to wear corrective braces to realign their shifted teeth.

Unlike normal teeth, wisdom teeth need to be surgically cut out of the patient’s mouth. The treated areas will be numbed with a local anesthetic to avoid the feeling of pain and discomfort. The dentist will then make incisions in the gums to remove the hidden teeth and pull out any emerged wisdom teeth.

Removing normal teeth is necessary for decayed teeth or for teeth that are no longer responding to treatment. The extraction will keep infection from spreading to other areas of the mouth.

What are the benefits of wisdom teeth extraction?

Wisdom teeth usually do not serve a purpose in a person’s mouth. Everyone has 32 teeth already, an extra four will just make it more difficult to keep teeth clean and healthy. Benefits of having your wisdom teeth pulled are:

  • Alignment of other teeth does not get disturbed

  • Existing teeth will not be crowded on a small jaw

  • Tooth decay, excess plaque and pain will be avoided

When do I need to see a dentist?

If the patient experiences pain, discomfort or swelling in the back gums, they need to ask a dentist if their wisdom teeth are related to these effects. Usually most problems develop in people between 15 and 25 years old.

Most dentists and oral surgeons believe that patients should have their wisdoms removed before the age of 20, because the roots and gums are not fully developed and softer. As the body gets older, the bones and roots in the teeth grow and get hard. The older the patient, the longer it may take for them to heal after the wisdoms are removed.

Ask Dr. Tin at EastLake Dentistry if you should have your wisdom teeth removed. Impacted teeth will start to cause health concerns and can push your existing teeth out of alignment. Normal tooth extractions are only necessary for teeth that are decayed or no longer responding to dental care. Give the rest of your teeth a chance to avoid failure by keeping them healthy. Save your mouth from potential damage and get your wisdom teeth extracted.

When to plan wisdom teeth extraction

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It is never too early to plan anything, like setting money aside for your children’s college tuition or planning the next family vacation to Japan. After all, early planning never hurts, right? Well, when dealing with impacted wisdom teeth, it is generally best dealt with early on than late.

A wisdom tooth, also known as the third molar, is often extracted to either to correct a problem or to prevent any potential issues from occurring in the future. Some people have all four, less than four, or more than four wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth usually erupt in your late teens or early twenties. While some wisdom teeth erupt normally with no hint of impact to neighboring teeth, other wisdom teeth can erupt sideways and cause all sorts of trouble for these other teeth. When the growth of a wisdom tooth is detected early on, extraction of the tooth is much easier. Scheduling the extraction before the tooth has had a chance to fully develop will likely ensure an easier wisdom teeth extraction process. When fully developed, nerves and the impact to neighboring teeth can make the extraction much more difficult.

Planning for a wisdom tooth extraction early on will allow individuals to better prepare for certain issues that may potentially arise if the tooth is not erupting normally. Many times, people may find that wisdom teeth just simply do not have enough room to come out and as a result, will “come in” sideways. Researchers believed that wisdom teeth used to be helpful in chewing when our jaws were much bigger. A cosmetic dentist can help you remove them if you need them to be extracted.

If you have had braces, your orthodontist may recommend that you remove your wisdom teeth to prevent it from potentially disrupting your new smile. Otherwise, a wisdom teeth extraction is not necessary if they are not impacted and have room to grow. However, since wisdom teeth are so far back in the mouth, it can be quite difficult to clean. Thus, it remains critical that one practices good oral hygienic habits to prevent decay-causing bacteria from harboring in the back of the mouth.

As we go through life, we learn that prevention and early detection is important to situations like wisdom teeth removal. Although wisdom teeth can erupt with no problems for some people, others may find themselves in a not-so-lucky situation. And thus, wisdom teeth extraction is available to those needing to remove the problematic teeth. They say that with age comes wisdom, so it is wise to remove the tooth before it is too late.