Wisdom Teeth Extractions
Your third molars are more commonly called “wisdom teeth.” Usually appearing in the late teens or early twenties, third molars often lack the proper space in the jaw to erupt fully or even at all. This common condition is called impaction. When any tooth lacks the space to come through or simply develops in the wrong place of your jaw and becomes impacted, problems can arise. Primarily, damage to adjacent teeth and crowding occur.
In certain cases, the wisdom tooth that cannot come through becomes inflamed under the gums and in the jawbone, causing a sac to develop around the root of the tooth that then fills with liquid. This can cause a cyst or an abscess if it becomes infected. If either of these situations goes untreated, serious damage to the underlying bone and surrounding teeth and tissues can result.
Therefore, to protect the health of remaining teeth and gums, it becomes necessary to remove wisdom teeth. Fortunately, advancements in digital technology and sedation dentistry allow for painless tooth removal for all types of tooth extractions.
At Springfield Lorton Dental Group, we offer patients the advantage of expert wisdom teeth removal by our on site specialist. Thus, once you’ve been told that it’s time to have your wisdom teeth extracted, our specialist will help you make informed decisions about the course of your tooth removal. This will depend greatly upon how your wisdom teeth are growing in. For instance, if your tooth is partially exposed, yet a part of the crown remains below the gum line, a small amount of bone must be shaved away in order to safely remove the tooth. On the other hand, if a tooth is fully encased within the jaw bone, more time must be spent exposing the tooth before removing it. In either case, wisdom teeth extraction is a relatively straightforward procedure that is only recommended when a patient’s oral health is at stake.
If you have questions about wisdom teeth removal, options for sedation dentistry or technology used at our practice, the team at Springfield Lorton Dental Group welcomes your call today.