Extracting Wisdom Teeth

 

wisdom teeth removalWisdom Teeth Removal at Heninger Dental

Wisdom teeth typically emerge between the ages of 17 and 25. While some people may have enough room in their mouths to accommodate these teeth, others may experience pain, infection, and damage to adjacent teeth due to their eruption. As a result, many individuals opt for wisdom teeth removal. We specialize in wisdom teeth removal at Heninger Dental in Orem, Utah, providing safe and effective treatment options to alleviate discomfort and ensure optimal oral health.

What are wisdom teeth?

Wisdom teeth are your third set of molars. They get this name because they arrive at a time when you might have earned some knowledge about the world around you. 

Some men and women have wisdom teeth that are correctly aligned and come in with no problems. However, more often than not, these teeth don’t have enough space to emerge correctly. Because of that, they end up growing misaligned.

When do you need wisdom teeth removal?

Wisdom teeth removal is necessary if they create a crowding problem. It’s common for them to grow in at an angle or even be horizontally aligned. That can place undue pressure on your nearby teeth and potentially cause damage. 

In other cases, wisdom teeth develop but never emerge through your gum tissue. This condition is called impaction. When they are only partially impacted and begin to emerge, they can allow bacteria to enter your gums and create an infection and other future problems. 

How are wisdom teeth removed?

Heninger Dental has access to the latest digital imaging technology. Dr. Cam can determine the exact location of your wisdom teeth before charting out a treatment plan. We ensure you get the proper type of anesthesia for your procedure. 

In the case of an impacted wisdom tooth, the gums are drawn from a portion of the tooth, and the dentist uses forceps to loosen and remove it. 

What is an impacted wisdom tooth?

Even if you have wisdom teeth below the gumline, it doesn’t necessarily mean they will emerge. We will take X-rays to see whether they need to be removed. The main reason for surgical extraction is the positioning beneath the gum line.

If they fail to erupt into the mouth, they lie sideways or cannot emerge due to a lack of space. The clinical term used is an impacted wisdom tooth. Most cases of tooth extraction are due to impaction.

Impacted wisdom teeth can be painful and quickly become infected. Signs of infection include:

  • – Painful, swollen gum tissue
  • – Discharge and bleeding
  • – Bad breath 
  • – Swollen lymph nodes and low-grade fever
  • – Painful chewing

Wisdom teeth must be removed if they become infected because they can cause damage to other teeth. Extracting impacted teeth while there is an infection can cause it to spread into other areas of the body. 

Sometimes a dentigerous cyst develops in the jaw bone or soft tissue over the top of an impacted tooth. It is a fluid-filled sac that is generally painless and usually benign; however, it can cause damage to other teeth if they continue growing.

In this case, Dr. Cam will prescribe antibiotics before your oral surgery appointment. We recommend removing impacted wisdom teeth, as ignoring them may cause more serious oral infections.

Should healthy wisdom teeth be removed?

Even if your wisdom teeth seem healthy, you should consider removing them to avoid future dental issues. They can reposition at any time in the gums, quickly leading to impaction and possibly infection.

Also, they are harder to reach because they sit far back in the jaw. Typically they don’t get brushed and flossed correctly and tend to develop tooth decay faster than other teeth.

Few patients look forward to oral surgery, but there is nothing to fear. You are provided general anesthesia and won’t feel a thing. Making preparations early and having ice packs and soft foods ready will help you completely heal and improve your oral health. 

Wisdom Teeth Removal in Orem, Utah

Are you looking for wisdom teeth removal or need a few questions answered about the removal procedure? Are you looking for a specialist in Orem, Utah, with experience that provides outstanding oral health care to you and your loved ones? Contact Heninger Dental today to assess your unique situation. Our dental team has many years of wisdom teeth removal, cosmetic dentistry, and general dentistry experience and will prioritize your comfort.