You have probably heard of wisdom tooth removal, but do you know what it means and why it is done?
Maybe your dentist has informed you that it’s time to extract your wisdom tooth, or maybe you have had friends or family members who went through the procedure.
Wisdom tooth removal is a common dental surgical procedure that removes one or more wisdom teeth. It is the solution when your wisdom tooth does not have enough room to grow, thus resulting in immense pain and sometimes, infections and other oral problems.
Your wisdom teeth are the four permanent adult teeth which are located at the top and bottom back corners of your mouth. They are the third and final set of molars that grow and most people get them in their late teens or sometimes, the early twenties. Some people may never develop wisdom teeth.
If these adult teeth grow to be properly aligned and healthy, they can be very useful in chewing and biting. However, for most people, they grow to be misaligned, sometimes growing horizontally, angled inward or outward, or they may be angled toward or away from your second set of molars. This happens when they don’t have enough room to grow in your jawbone.
Such impacted growth results in severe misalignment, which then results in crowding or damaging the nearby teeth, the nerves or the jawbone. When this happens, you experience immense pain. It can even lead to tooth decay, infection, and other kinds of dental issues.
In such cases, the only effective solution is to have your wisdom tooth or teeth extracted so as to prevent any further damage. Even if the impacted teeth are not causing you pain or other issues, some dentists may still recommend having them removed so as to avoid any possible issues at all.
First, Dr. Khanideh or Dr. Pouyan will examine your tooth to determine the best way to remove it. The relative ease at which your wisdom tooth is pulled out depends on the stage of development and its position of growth.
If the tooth has fully erupted through your gum, then it can be extracted easily without complications. However, if your wisdom tooth has only partially erupted or is underneath your gums and embedded in your jawbone, the procedure will be much more complex. This last one requires an incision to be made in the gums, and the portion of the jaw bone that lies over the tooth must be removed.
The tooth will be divided into small sections rather than being extracted as a whole. This makes the process much easier. After the tooth is completely removed, the site is cleaned, and the incision may be closed, although not always necessary.
Wisdom tooth removal is not a simple procedure that any dentist can carry out comfortably. At LiveWell Dentistry, you have access to the best dentists in Santa Monica to remove your wisdom tooth with a gentle approach. This makes the entire process a much more positive experience.
Our staff will always ensure your safety and comfort, regardless of which treatment you have. For quality dental care, including wisdom tooth removal, contact LiveWell Dentistry today.
At LiveWell Dentistry, we have performed many successful wisdom tooth removal procedures over the years. Dr. Shabnam Khanideh and Dr. Mehra Pouyan are known for their gentle and caring approach to any dental procedure that they carry out for patients, which makes an intimidating experience such as the removal of your wisdom tooth much easier.
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