ORAL SURGERY & WISDOM TEETH EXTRACTION

Tooth extraction is the removal of a tooth from its socket in the jaw. Although we try our best to fix and retain broken or badly decayed teeth but sometimes teeth become beyond repair or pose a threat to your general health. 

If the tooth is planned for extraction, an x-ray of the area will be taken to plan for the type of extraction. 

Simple Dental Extraction

Simple extractions are performed on erupted teeth that have regular anatomy (root and crown), and are not severely broken. 

Surgical Dental Extraction

A surgical extraction is a more complex procedure. It is used if a tooth may have broken off at the gum line or has not come into the mouth yet. Surgical extractions are commonly performed by general dentists or oral surgeons depending on the case. Sometimes it’s necessary to remove some of the bone around the tooth or to cut the tooth in half in order to extract it. For surgical extractions, patients receive local anesthetic. A suture is usually required to control bleeding and facilitate healing.

Early Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Wisdom teeth are the third set of human molars. Unfortunately, in some cases, those teeth are impacted fully or partially in bone or soft tissue and cannot erupt causing pain, discomfort and swelling. Additionally, most people have difficulty accessing these teeth during brushing or flossing causing accelerated decay and gum problems. Wisdom teeth have also been notorious for causing crowding, improper bites and pressure when they start erupting. The arrival of these late-breaking teeth can cause trouble as they are often impacted (trapped in the jawbone) because there is not enough room for them in the mouth. Our jaws are a lot smaller than those of our early human ancestors, who needed bigger jaws and more teeth for the type of food they chewed. In most people, wisdom teeth can do more harm than good and we often recommend their removal.

It can take a long time for wisdom teeth to erupt and you may not even notice the harmful effects in your mouth until you experience sudden and severe discomfort. Cramped for room, impacted wisdom teeth grow out at odd angles or remain trapped below the gums. Adjacent teeth can become prone to decay because of the unfavourable position of the wisdom teeth.

Not all wisdom teeth need to be removed. Medication, close monitoring, and special cleaning techniques are sometimes enough to keep them for a while. But the only way you will know for sure is to have an examination done at our dental office as early as possible.

If you feel that your wisdom teeth are starting to cause problems, book an appointment to assess their condition, a panoramic x-ray will be taken and a thorough examination is conducted.

Wisdom tooth extraction can be performed with local anaesthesia, but some patients opt to do it under nitrous oxide sedation or oral sedation.

BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY!