Your third molars, commonly known as your wisdom teeth, are usually the last teeth to erupt in your mouth. If healthy and functional your wisdom teeth can be useful. However, there are also reasons why your wisdom teeth should be removed. For example, your wisdom teeth need to be extracted because of orthodontic treatment.

In other cases, your wisdom teeth can become impacted or only partially erupt through the gum due to a misalignment. As a result, your wisdom teeth can cause swelling, pain and even infection of the surrounding gum. They can also put pressure on the adjacent teeth, which can result in permanent damage to healthy teeth and their surrounding bone. Sometimes, impacted or partially impacted wisdom teeth can also lead to the formation of cysts.  In worse case scenarios, they can result in tumors, which could potentially destroy an entire section of your jaw.

Lastly, a fully erupted wisdom tooth can be very hard to clean and can become severely decayed. So for these reasons your Fall River MA dentist may recommend that you have your wisdom teeth removed.

The Treatment

First, our Fall River dentist will administer a local anesthetic to make you more comfortable. If you are too anxious the dentist may also administer sedation in addition to the anesthetic or use a general anesthetic to put you under entirely.

Once the area is numb, the dentist will begin the extraction. The dentist will use  dental instrument called an elevator is to wiggle the tooth in its socket. After the tooth is loosened, it is removed using forceps or a surgical hand piece.

Extraction’s Possible Complications

Tooth extraction is not free of possible complications. You should be aware that there is a slight chance of infection, tenderness, prolonged bleeding, dry socket and loosening of neighboring teeth or their fillings or crowns.

Another rare complication can involve an upper tooth getting displaced into the sinus.  Lastly, jaw fracture and temporary or permanent numbness are also very rare possibilities.

When Should I Remove My Wisdom Tooth?

When should you have your wisdom teeth removed?  There is no single right answer for everyone; however, if your dentist has advised you that your wisdom teeth look problematic, it’s generally best to remove them sooner rather than later.

This advice is based on the fact that the younger you are, the faster you heal. The likeliness of complications also increases with age.  Lastly, the longer you leave a troublesome wisdom tooth in your mouth, the more time it has to create further problems in the future.  Schedule your wisdom tooth extraction today at Dentistry in the Highlands 508-676-8268.