Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt in the mouth, and they usually appear in a person’s late teens or early 20s. These teeth were once needed to replace other molars that had been lost to excessive wear or decay. Today, there are much more practices of better dental hygiene and regular care that mean we can retain our natural teeth longer, which makes wisdom teeth largely unnecessary. Unfortunately, they can cause problems if they are left in place. Our Glendale wisdom tooth extraction expert can help you decide if your wisdom teeth should be extracted.
You may need an extraction if your wisdom teeth are impacted or unable to erupt properly. When these teeth do not have room to grow, they can result in crowding, infection, pain and decay. Impacted wisdom teeth may also grow at an angle and push other teeth out of position, or they can remain trapped in the jawbone. Even if your wisdom teeth are not currently causing problems, our expert in wisdom tooth extraction in Glendale may recommend an extraction to prevent future problems with your current teeth.
Glendale Wisdom Tooth Extraction
If you are a candidate for an extraction, this will usually be performed as an outpatient procedure. You may need to arrange for a ride to and from your appointment, particularly if you are planning to use dental sedation. You may also need to avoid eating or drinking anything before the procedure. Our Glendale wisdom tooth extraction expert will explain any other instructions, as well as the preparation process to ensure your safety at each stage.
Most people have between one and four wisdom teeth. Our expert in wisdom tooth extraction in Glendale may remove one or all of them depending on your needs. First, the tooth will be accessed, and then it will be extracted using a local anesthetic. General anesthesia may be needed for some patients, especially those with a dental phobia or fear. Once the tooth has been removed, a suture will be placed and a gauze pad will be applied in order to promote clot formation as a way to control bleeding. We will give you specific instructions to follow after the procedure to ensure proper healing.
Call us today to learn more or to schedule an appointment with our Glendale dentist.