Wisdom Tooth Extractions

At Lewelling Dental Care, wisdom teeth extractions are fairly common. Your last set of molars to come in, wisdom teeth usually emerge when you are between 17 and 21 years old. Since wisdom teeth can often become impacted, which means they come in at an angle, it is necessary to remove them before they cause pain or begin to push your other teeth.

 

If a wisdom tooth is impacted and can only emerge partially, it is possible for an operculum to form over the tooth. If this flap of skin forms, the tooth will be hard to clean and can become infected. This infection is called pericoronitis.

 

When a wisdom tooth is in danger of causing such problems, Dr. Shital Kazi will extract the tooth. Often it is necessary to remove all four at once. This is done either by using a local anesthetic or a general anesthetic, based on the preference of the doctors and patient. After the anesthetic is applied, the gum tissue around the wisdom tooth is cut and the tooth is loosened and pulled out. If necessary, the gums will be sutured for healing.

 

After the surgery, rest is required, and you will need to change the gauze applied to the incision. To see if your wisdom teeth may need to be removed, schedule an appointment with us by calling 510-276-6040. 

Wisdom Teeth

Your wisdom teeth are your last set of molars to emerge, and they usually come in when you are between 17 and 21 years old. Because these teeth often become impacted, which means they come at an angle rather than straight through the gums, it is often necessary for them to be removed before they cause pain or crowd your other teeth. At our office in San Lorenzo, CA, Dr. Shital Kazi can determine if your wisdom teeth need to be removed and extract them if they do.

If a wisdom tooth is impacted and can only emerge partially, it is possible for an operculum to form over the tooth. This flap of skin makes the molar extremely hard to clean, which means you are susceptible to an infection called periocoronitis.

When a wisdom tooth is in danger of causing such problems, Dr. Kazi extracts the tooth. Many times all four are removed at once. This is done either by using a local anesthetic to numb the area or a general anesthetic to sedate the patient. It depends on the preference of the doctor and patient, as well as how far the wisdom tooth has emerged. After an anesthetic is applied, the gum tissue over the wisdom tooth is cut and the tooth is loosened and pulled out. If necessary, the gums will be sutured.

After surgery, rest is required. You will also need to change the gauze applied to the incision every couple hours.

To see if your wisdom teeth may need to be removed, schedule an appointment with Lewelling Dental Care by calling (510) 276-6040. For more information, visit www.lewellingdental.com.